For the Love of You
by College n Curls
Summary: "I will be your sword and your shield. Use me as you wish and I will bring honor to your name." He knew her words to be true. Naive. Arrogant. Yet, there was no one he'd rather have by his side. (AU, Historical-Fiction)
1. Chapter 1

**Rating: M** **Regular readers know that my stuff can get graphic. This story is no exception. There will be adult situations and coarse language. There WILL be some violence in this fic due to the time period it takes place in. Nothing too graphic of course but I'm not going to sugar coat a war.**

 **Disclaimer: You guys should pay me but you don't. That means I don't own any of the characters in this fic blah blah blah. **

**CCNote:** **This wasn't meant to come out for a few more months but over the last week or so I can do nothing but work on this story. It's been bugging me for over a year. I can't even give 'Being' the attention it needs because every time I try to write, the storyline for this crops up and I have to immediately stop and write it down.**

 ** _Special Shout Out to my Beta ClassySassyFunkyFresh! Thanks so much for your help._**

 **ANYWHO without further ado let's begin. As always don't forget to REVIEW! More reviews means inspo for me!**

 _ **C**_ _ **hapter One:**_

 _ **A Sunny Place to Sit…**_

 _Across the road_

 _from a field of sunflowers:_

 _a sunflower_

 _(Basho)_

 _ **The 13**_ _ **th**_ _ **Summer of the Hato**_

 _ **Hyuuga Compound**_

 **… _._**

"Hanabi! Wait up!"

"You can't catch me! Can't catch me!"

The Hyuuga Compound was abuzz with excitement. There were whispers around every corner of a special visitor coming to take an audience with the head of the newly prosperous clan. Branch members ran from room to room frantically, replacing old linens with fresh ones and throwing open all of the doors and windows to air out the stuffy tatami. The kitchens smelled of fragrant spices and herbs from places far, far away and not a hand was left idle.

"Hanabi!"

Well, not _every_ hand.

Hinata watched as her little sister sprinted from the covered walkway and vaulted herself over the low lying flowerbeds. The eight-year-old barely cleared the hydrangea bushes when she landed and once her feet hit the safety of the grass she was off towards the inner gate.

 _'Hanabi_!' she groaned inwardly covered her flushed face with both hands.

"She heard about the visitor didn't she?"

Hinata jumped slightly at the sound of her cousin's voice that was beginning to crack when he spoke. He coughed awkwardly to cover it up but Hinata had clearly heard it. Puberty was what their caretaker Ko had called it when Hanabi had rudely pointed out the change over dinner.

"Good morning Neji-nii-san." Hinata greeted softly and her cousin gave her a polite nod in return.

"Hinata-sama."

Hinata smiled up at her older cousin and pushed some of her hair behind her ears. He was correct to infer that Hanabi had heard about their visitor's arrival to the compound. She opened her mouth to engage him in further conversation, but the loud bang of the inner gate slamming shut cut her words short.

"And they've got her." Neji said before turning to go back down the walkway to his own studies.

Sure enough, ever expressionless guards had caught her sister before her small hands were even able to push the inner gate door open far enough to slip through. Hanabi was escorted between the two of them with her arms crossed in an undignified manner and a pout on her face that would have garnered punishment if their father was around to see it. When the guards reached the walkway steps they waited for a hesitant Hanabi to ascend and didn't leave until Hinata put an arm around the girl to take her away.

"Hana." Hinata said, crouching down in front of a clearly frustrated eight-year-old. "You know that you can't go out."

"I just wanted to see!" Hanabi whined.

Hinata smiled and gently fixed the orange obi that had become misshapen during Hanabi's mad dash and smoothed out wrinkles in the canary yellow silk of her yukata. She couldn't fault Hanabi for being curious. The entire compound had been fixated on this special visitor for the better part of the month. However, it was improper for them to leave the inner ring of the main house just to catch a glimpse of a stranger. What would their father say if he knew?

"Come on, the gardener says that the sunflowers have bloomed."

"Really?!"

Hinata giggled at her sister's enthusiasm as smaller fingers interlocked with her own and allowed herself to be dragged down the hall.

 **….**

Shisui let out a long sigh through his nose as the door to his room finally slid close. With the small army of Hyuuga eager to fulfill his every need gone, he was finally able to hear himself think. When he offered to go on this mission for his Commander he had expected there to be some… _difficulties_ but he hadn't expected this. Arguably though, things would not be so bad if he didn't care so much about his mission's intended.

"Itachi you lucky bastard." Shisui grumbled under his breath as he took a seat in the alcove of his room overlooking a small garden.

His cousin wasn't _that_ lucky of course. The girl he had been betrothed to since his birth, a rumored beauty from the Senju main family, and was rapidly approaching her sixteenth year. Unfortunately, she had also been a sickly thing. The last winter had been particularly harsh all over the country and well, she didn't make it. Now he was tasked with the seemingly daunting task of finding a girl unpromised and from a respectable clan. So far it wasn't looking too good.

The Uchiha slumped down in the cushioned window seat and open the window in hopes that fresh air would help to clear his head. A light breeze entered his room and he took a deep breath, relishing the scent that wafted off the small garden and the warmth of the summer sun on his face. He then rested his chin on the fleshy part of his palm and stared out at the sunflowers in full bloom. Their vibrant yellow petals framed black centers heavily pregnant with seeds as they faced upwards to the sun. With his free hand, he reached out to stroke the fuzzy green stalk of the closest sunflower and sighed.

How was he supposed to find a suitable girl to be the future matriarch of the Uchiha?

There were not many women who would be able to properly fill the shoes of the one who currently holds the position. Uchiha Mikoto was a force to be reckoned with and he doubted that any of the vapid girls he'd met so far would meet her approval. She'd likely reject them as soon as their shadows darkened the District's gate. Over the course of the last two months he'd traversed the west coast of the country, visiting each prosperous clan he could in search of the perfect girl but had come up with nothing. The only eligible Yamanaka girl talked too much and the Akimichi didn't have any girls that weren't already spoken for. The Inuzuka girls did not have a large enough dowry and the Aburame girls just…no.

Shisui frowned as he felt a headache beginning to form behind his left eye. He was tired of being on the road and entertaining shallow clan heads, but he couldn't go back without the news of a potential match. After he finished his audience with the Hyuuga he might have better luck on the east coast…

Just as Shisui was about to draw away from the alcove, the sound of carefree giggling reached his ears. Sprinting head first into the garden, a blur of yellow and messy brown hair, was what he could only assume was the Hyuuga head's youngest child. She sported a broad smile with her hands outstretched for the large sunflowers that towered over her small frame. Running up behind her was another girl, hair cropped short and her eyes filled with worry for her rambunctious counterpart.

"Hanabi you shouldn't run so fast!" she called out.

The one named Hanabi turned on her heel so fast that it almost looked like she would fall but somehow she didn't. She then launched herself at her sister and the two fell back into the grass. The two giggled in a heap of purple and yellow silk, their voices bright in the unusually dreary compound. The Uchiha couldn't hold back his own guff of laughter at the sight they presented and although he covered his mouth, the girls still heard him from his opened window. Both girls looked up at him in surprise but Hanabi was the one to recover the fastest.

"Hello!" she said excitedly as she scrambled to get off of her sister. She then scurried up to his first-floor window and flashed tiny white teeth. "Are you the visitor?"

"Why yes, yes I am. And you are?" Shisui replied. Although he already knew exactly who she was, he was amused by the girl's forwardness.

"I'm-" Hanabi started to say but her older sister had finally gathered her wits about her and was off of the ground in an instant.

She smoothly grabbed the younger one's hand and pulled her to stand behind her before she could say anything more.

"I-I'm sorry if w-w-we were too loud sir." She stammered and bowed gracefully at the waist. Behind her, Hanabi cocked her head to the side curiously.

"Hinata-nee-"

"We will b-be going!"

Shisui blinked for a moment at how abruptly she wanted to leave. The girls from the other clans usually wanted nothing more than to remain in his presence. Marrying into the Uchiha was quite the honor.

"Wait a moment." He said, waving his hands in a way to show that he meant her no harm. "Hinata was it?"

The girl turned her wide pale eyes up to him and seemed to be contemplating the ramifications that could come from replying to his question. After what felt like an eternity she hesitantly nodded, short locks of dark hair following her every move. The Uchiha zeroed in on the way that she kept a firm grip on her sister's hand, blocking the other one's form from view protectively with her own.

"You love your little sister don't you?" he asked and Hinata nodded again, this time more quickly than the first. "My Commander's eldest son loves his little brother very much as well. Although the boy is a bit of a brat if I'm to be honest with you."

Hanabi snickered at his insult while Hinata blushed bright red, eager to leave his presence before their meeting was noticed. With a friendly wink and a wave of his hand, he ushered the girls away from his window.

"Go on now. I'll pretend that I didn't see you."

Hinata bowed to him quickly, clearly thankful for his dismissal and promised discretion. She then turned to run out of the small garden with a rather reluctant Hanabi in tow inquiring curiously as to what a 'Commander' was. Shisui smiled at the pair as he watched them go and the headache that had been forming dissipated.

Hyuuga Hinata.

Perhaps he wouldn't have to scour the east coast after all…

 _ **To be continued….**_

 _Passing between clouds_

 _the moon rests_

 _in the eyes of its beholder_

 _(Basho)_


	2. Chapter 2

_**Special thanks to my Beta, ClassySassyFunkyFresh!**_

 **CCNote:** **Y'all do know that I'm not going to tell you the pairings of this story, right? I love all of your suggestions and likes/dislikes but the way this story is heading was set in stone a year ago when I first started thinking about it. This story is about a lot more than romance and I hope that I'm able to keep you all engaged with a plot heavy tale this time around. Let's see how this goes hmm?**

 **Keep in mind that dates and locations are important so make sure you pay attention to the headers, so you aren't confused! ANYWHO without further ado, here's chapter two! Don't forget to leave a review!**

 _ **Chapter Two**_

 _ **A Strange New Fan**_

 _Pausing between clouds_

 _the moon rests_

 _in the eyes of its Beholder_

 _(Basho)_

 **The Seventeenth Winter of the Hato**

 **Hyuuga Compound- Main house**

… **.**

The air was frigid in her room and despite the fire that roared behind her and the layers of fur that protected her from the elements, she couldn't manage to get warm. Hinata shivered, staring at her reflection but not really seeing the image reflected back.

She should be excited. She was finally leaving the compound after a lifetime of expecting to die behind its walls like every Hyuuga before her.

She should be happy…grateful.

She should be…

"Do you require another blanket Hinata-sama?" her concerned attendant asked, pausing in her task of brushing her long dark hair.

The teen in question shook her head. No amount of material would be able to cut through the frost that stuck to her bones. Tonight might be cold but tomorrow would be even more so. Tomorrow she would begin the long trek away from her home and to lands that she could have only imagined within her dreams. Tomorrow, for the first time in her life, she would step outside of the inner ring. Tomorrow she would leave everything behind…

"Finished Hinata-sama." Her attendant said.

Hinata blinked and refocused her eyes to take in her reflection. Her attendant had taken great care to brush her long hair til it shined in the firelight. Gingerly, she raised a pale hand up to run her hands through a now tangle free section before giving her attendant a nod of approval. Pale eyes similar to her own crinkled with a smile and bowed low before her till their forehead touched the tatami.

"You will make a most beautiful bride Hinata-sama." She said and Hinata blushed at the generous compliment that had been lavished upon her.

Would she really be a beautiful bride? Would her intended find her to be beautiful?

"Nee-chan!" a small voice called to her through the shoji door.

Beside her, her attendant rose from her bow and quietly crossed the small bedroom to allow the visitor entry. Hanabi stepped into the room as soon as the door was open and quickly made her way over to where Hinata sat.

"Hana-chan." Hinata said sternly. "You should be in bed right now. If father catches you out of bed-"

"I know. I know." Hanabi whined. "You know that I'm good at not getting caught."

Hinata pressed her lips together in a tight line at Hanabi's statement but knew it to be true. The creaky floorboards were always silent underneath Hanabi's feet if she truly did not want to be heard and the halls traversed conveniently empty.

"Why are you sneaking around at this hour?"

"It's cold."

The older teen sighed and her attendant gave her a knowing smile from the door before taking her leave of the room. Without permission or prompt, Hanabi made her way over to Hinata's futon and wormed her way underneath the thick blankets and fur. Shaking her head in mock dismay, Hinata joined her sister and helped to tuck her in as snug as she could.

"You're getting too old to share my bed." Hinata said as she slipped underneath the furs.

At twelve years old, Hanabi should have outgrown this childish habit but Hinata supposed that it was her own fault for indulging her. What was Hanabi going to do after tonight? This was the last time she'd be able to cuddle up to her side like this. Hinata felt her heart tug uncomfortably at the prospect of her sister spending her night alone til the day she married a husband of her own. Hanabi seemed to have the same thoughts as she did and wormed her way over to look at her with glassy eyes.

"Do you really have to go?" she asked. "Can't you just marry Neji-nii? He would be a good husband and then you can stay with me forever."

"Then you would be the one to leave me." Hinata teased and pulled Hanabi in for a hug. "Then I'd be sad."

Hanabi grumbled a bit about it being too hot but did nothing to pull away from the embrace. Absently Hinata kissed the top of her head and held her even closer. She was going to miss Hanabi and the Compound so much. Part of her would even miss her father despite his distant and cold nature. He cared in his own strange way and the pride in his eyes at her ascension through marriage almost made it worth leaving.

Almost…

"What do you think the Uchiha are like?" Hanabi asked before wriggling out of Hinata's embrace.

She threw off the blankets she'd just been tucked into and jumped up to her feet. With a determined look in her eye, she easily moved into a familiar offensive stance that they'd seen Neji take during his training. Her palms outstretched, her body curved gently into a lunge but ready to knock a man down with a powerful kick in an instant.

"I hear that they are warriors." She said as she moved from the first position to the second with a sharpness that mirrored Neji's. From the second position she moved to the third. "I hear that they have never lost a battle."

Hinata continued to watch the girl run through the drills of their family's specialized fighting style. How many mornings had she snuck into the dojo to watch Neji train? How many nights had she stayed up to master the moves on her own? Hanabi wasn't much of a lady but in another time-with another family- she could become a warrior in her own right. Hinata smiled as Hanabi completed the routine, her cheeks flushed and a unique look of pride in her eyes that very few people got to see. The teen bowed to her appreciative audience before scrambling back underneath the blankets.

"I wonder what kind of fighting style they have." Hanabi mused and Hinata rolled over onto her back.

She knew nothing about the Uchiha outside of their status and the few whispered rumors she gleaned from overhearing the branch members in the hall. They were the most powerful shogun under the direct command of the emperor. Powerful and fierce in battle. Their pride as a clan preceded them but it was not without warrant. Some went as far to say that they were the ones really in control of the dynasty but of course, that wasn't said where those loyal to the throne could hear. It was an honor that such a powerful clan would be willing to accept someone like her. The Hyuuga were not a poor clan by any means. The lands her family owned were vast and prosperous, but they'd only been accepted under the emperor's wing for less than a generation. They still had so much to prove. This marriage would go far to strengthening their ties to the throne.

"I'm not sure what they will be like." Hinata finally admitted and Hanabi rolled over onto her stomach, leaning up to rest on her forearms.

"Do you think they will let me visit you?" she asked hopefully.

"I'm not sure…" Hinata started but the crestfallen look on Hanabi's face made her heart feel like it would shatter. "I will send for you Hana. After I've married I will send for you."

"Promise?"

"I promise." Hinata said and Hanabi smiled brightly.

The brunette held up her hand and extended her pinky finger to seal Hinata to her promise but she shook her head.

"You have to promise me something as well." The elder said.

"What? Anything!"

"You have to promise to practice your reading and writing and mind Ko-san like you should."

"Writing cramps my hand!" Hanabi groaned and buried her face in her pillow but she held her pinky out anyway.

Hinata smiled in spite of Hanabi's protest and wrapped her pinky around her sisters. One day they would be together again.

One day.

 **….**

"Are you ready Hinata-sama?" Neji asked, his breath mixing with the frigid air to create a cloud in front of his face.

"Mm." Hinata nodded and tried to keep from laughing at how red Neji's nose was turning. She was positive that hers looked the same anyway.

He stood by her side, stiff and stoic as he waited for her palanquin bearers to ready the horses. It was little more than a small wooden box extravagantly painted gold and white. Though ostentatious there was no better way to present a bride. The journey would take nearly three weeks on foot, a difficult trek through the snow across the countryside but the waterways were even more perilous. Hinata bit her bottom lip as the prospect of the journey from this point forward finally began to feel real. Swallowing her fear she grabbed her cousin's hand and gave it a light squeeze.

"Promise to care for Hana." She said and Neji smirked.

"That is easier said than done Hinata-sama." He said and they both watched as the girl in question sprinted through the open outer ring gate, her hair a tangled mess behind them in her effort to reach them.

"I'm sorry I'm late!" she panted, doubling over when she was finally by their side to catch her breath.

She'd forgone any sort of cloak for warmth and her summer geta clicked noisily against the frozen cobblestones. Neji shook his head at her state of undress and quickly unclipped his own cloak in a move to cover her but Hanabi ducked out of the way. She quickly wrapped her arms around Hinata's neck, nearly causing the elder to fall but somehow she maintained her balance.

"Hanabi it's much too cold for you to be out here!" Hinata chided as a cold nose pressed into her neck.

"You can't think that I wouldn't send you off Hinata-nee!"

Hinata smiled and squeezed her troublesome sister, hoping that the warmth of her own body would be enough to protect her from the elements. Their closeness was short lived however as the elders and her father surrounded them in a loose semi-circle. The whites and silvers of their cloaks nearly made them disappear in the snowy environment of the compound. As Hiashi raised a curious eyebrow at Hanabi's state of undress, she let Hinata go and shuffled over to Neji who was finally able to give her his cloak. Hinata glanced at her sister sympathetically, she was definitely going to get a long lecture later.

"Are you ready?" her father asked as his pale eyes shifted from Hanabi to her.

"Yes, Otou-san." She said and at that confirmation, her father nodded.

Behind them, her company for the long journey got into place. Bundled and eager to leave the compound, the strong young men and women whispered quietly amongst themselves.

"You will bring us great honor." Her father said, his words landed heavily on her shoulders. She could only hope that he was right.

From the inside of his heavy cloak, Hiashi pulled out a small white box and held it out to her. Hinata stared at the offering in surprise. Her father was not one to give presents. The life they led within the compound was too lavish to justify trinkets of affection. With gloved hands, she accepted the box and bowed respectfully to her father.

"Goodbye, Hinata." He said and unless she was hallucinating there was a hint of warmth in his words.

She didn't have much time to see if it was true before he stepped away and allowed Neji and Hanabi to say their final farewells. Holding back tears she kissed their cold, ruddy cheeks one last time before allowing two branch members to help her into the palanquin. Once she settled into the tiny room filled with furs, the door was closed behind her and the entire structure was lifted from the ground.

Hinata stared at her family through the wooden slates of the small back window. Hanabi waved goodbye with tears in her eyes and although Neji tried to remain expressionless the slight downturn of his lips betray him. When her palanquin began to move away the gathering of her family bowed before her, making the tears she had been holding back finally fall. They remained that way until their figures were black spots on the horizon and she could no longer tell one from another. Her bottom lip trembled at the finality of it all and the tears that she cried froze to her cheeks.

Sniffing, she tried to wipe away the moisture but found that she was still clutching the box her father had given her. Hinata blinked and stared at the bleached box, unsure of what it might contain. Swallowing thickly she opened the box and a new round of tears threatened to rack her chest. Laying delicately on a bed of black velvet was a large opal pendant that sparkled when the dappled light from the window hit it.

"It hasn't changed at all." She whispered to herself as she set the box down on her lap and removed her gloves.

Once divested of the articles, she picked up the box again. She marveled at how cold the stone felt when she stroked its smooth surface with her thumb. It was cold but comforting. Memories of warm hugs and kisses filled her heart. Dark hair like her own and eyes that were always filled with love till the day they closed forever. The tears that had once tasted bitter and sad continued to fall but the tinge was different. Since the day she reached sixteen. Since the day she found out about her marriage to Uchiha Itachi.

She felt…happy.

Smiling through her tears she removed the opal pendant from its box and unclasped the silver chain so that she could fasten it around her next. She then slipped the necklace beneath the multiple layers of silk that she wore until the cold stone rested against her skin. Pressing a hand over her heart she returned her gaze out the window in the direction of her childhood home. Though she could no longer see the white walls of the compound she smiled.

"Thank you…Otou-san."

 **…..**

 **The Twentieth Winter of the Karasu**

 **Uchiha District- Uchiha Shiro**

 **…..**

Using the back of his forearm, Itachi wiped away the sweat that threatened to drip into his eye. Shisui smirked at him from the opposite side of the dojo. Despite the multitude of hairline scratches along both of their bodies and the fact that they'd been at it for hours, his cousin appeared as if he were ready for another match.

"Tired already Itachi-kun?" Shisui teased. "Did Izumi-chan sap all of your energy last night?"

The man in question rolled his eyes and walked over to the practice sword wall to resheathed his katana where it belonged. Shisui was always full of jokes although they were never far from the truth. Being with Izumi had made him exhausted but not in the way Shisui had implied. He still couldn't get the way she cried out of his mind. They knew that this day would come and yet it hurt nonetheless to let her go…

… _. "Please Itachi. Don't send me away."_

 _Her voice quivered behind him but he refused to turn around. If he did he might give in. He might not let her go. He might just keep her but he couldn't. He'd already kept her for longer than he should and now the day he'd expected was almost here. Hyuuga Hinata would be at the District in less than a week._

" _I don't understand why!" Izumi said frustration breaking through her sorrow as she reached out to clutch the back of his kimono. Her fingers gripped the fabric desperately as if she could keep him through sheer force alone. "I can stay here with you. No one expects that I am to leave._ _ **She**_ _can't possibly expect to have all of you. Your father-"_

 _At the mention of the current Uchiha head, Itachi stepped away from her and the silk fell away from her fingers._

" _I am not my father Izumi."_

 _Izumi sniffed and let out a soft, almost strangled, sob._

" _I know…I know…"_

 _He_ _ **wasn't**_ _his father. He wouldn't be. As much as he enjoyed Izumi's company, their time together could not continue in the same capacity that they had been. He would not have another bed where he laid his head while his wife slept alone. He may not know her but she at least deserved his loyalty in marriage. Kami knows how much his mother suffered under his father's indiscretions. Betrayals, petty jealousies from the harem, bastards that sprung up with demands at inconvenient times. He refused to have those events take place under his roof. His resolve was firm but Izumi's tears scratched at his armor. Slowly he walked away from her and headed for the door. Without a word he left and by morning she would be gone…_

… Sending Izumi away was not easy. She was his first love. The only woman he'd had any sort of affection for that was not his mother. She knew this but she also knew that his duty superseded all else. Frowning, Itachi picked up his discarded haori and stiffly slid his arms through the black sleeves.

"Itachi!" a muffled but clearly excited voice called through the dojo door.

A second later the heavy door was slid open and the winter wind filled the stuffy room.

"Oi!" Shisui chided as he crossed his arms over bare skin that was quickly succumbing to chill. "Shut the door Sasu-bo!"

"Don't call me that!" Sasuke hissed but shut the door as he was asked

"Why should I stop?"

"Because I'm not some dumb kid!"

"You will always be Sasu-bo to me!"

"Itachi!"

Itachi rolled his eyes at their incessant bickering and walked up to his little brother. Freshly fallen snow clung to his messy dark hair and his cheeks were red. From the cold or embarrassment, he wasn't quite sure. Either way, the image didn't lend any credence to his adamant statement of no longer being a child. He was in his seventeenth year but Shisui was right. He would always be 'Sasu-bo' to them.

"Don't tease him so much Shisui." Itachi said although his words lacked any authority behind them.

As their cousin snorted in mock defeat, Itachi tried to brush the snow from Sasuke's hair but the teen kept swatting his hands away.

"Don't bother! It's going to melt anyway!" Sasuke groaned. "Let's train!"

"Sorry, Ototo. We just finished up for the day."

"What! Really? I only just got away from Kakashi!"

Itachi smirked and poked Sasuke in the middle of his forehead much to the teen's chagrin. Shisui's laugh echoed off of the dojo's walls the rejection which made Sasuke cut his eyes in a rather stern glare at the man.

"Maybe next time Ototo."

"You always say that."

 **…..**

 **The Seventeenth Winter of the Hato**

 **Uchiha District- Uchiha Shiro**

 **….**

The Uchiha District was larger than anything she could have imagined. She'd known that their lands and power far outsized her own clans but this…this was too much. Hinata nervously chewed at her bottom lip as she tried to take in the narrow streets of the parish and the organized layout of the houses and shops within. As her palanquin passed people emerged from the building, braving the snow that was starting to fall, and stared at small accompaniment. It was odd to be stared at even though they couldn't see her due to her enclosure. This was the closest that she'd ever come to people that were not of her own flesh and blood. These people had hopes and dreams and lives that she couldn't even begin to fathom and yet…

' _They will be my people_.' Hinata thought to herself and the notion made her heart rate speed up exponentially.

Time crept by slowly as they made their way through the District towards its center. Her palanquin bearers stood tall and proud even though their journey had been long. It was worth it to announce their presence in such a fashion. It took them nearly an hour to go from the outskirts of the District to the center where large walls of gray stone and turrets surrounded what was to be her new home. Walls that were even higher than the ones of her childhood.

"Who are you to request entry?" a loud voice boomed from somewhere on the wall.

Hinata closed her eyes as they were stopped briefly and held her breath. Maybe it was a mistake. Maybe they'd had second thoughts on accepting a Hyuuga into their home. The journey back to the compound would be difficult but she would be back with her family. However, all of her fears were unfounded when her palanquin shifted and they proceeded through the gates. Hinata opened her eyes just in time to watch as it took a small team of six men to shut the towering black door. Painted proudly on both sides was the Uchiha crest. Proud and impeccable. A fan meant to raise the flames of the emperor's army.

Slowly they proceeded through the outer ring and though there were homes and gardens no one came to witness their process. From the outer ring, they passed through a second gate, though this one was not as large as it's predecessor. Through this gate, the other houses vanished and so did the noise from the District. In its place was silence and ice and snow that stilled her heart as she gazed through the slats of her window. All too soon the palanquin stopped moving forward and instead was lowered to the ground. The door was opened and light poured into her dim box. She tried not to scrunch up her face at the dramatic change in light but it was difficult.

As gracefully as she could, she stepped out of the palanquin with the help of one of her attendants and stood in the middle of what appeared to be a frozen courtyard. Icecicles hung from the trees thicker than her own limbs and the evergreens shimmered with frost. Standing before in a semicircle were darkly clad figures, bundled up from head to toe so similarly that she couldn't tell them apart. However, there was one person that was distinct among them. She stood with her head held high and stepped forward with a sense of pride that Hinata could never hope to mimic. Her dark hair was twisted elegantly with gold baubles her father had never allowed within the compound and the elaborate patterns etched into her slate gray haori made her own kimono look paltry.

"Welcome to the Uchiha District." The woman said smoothly. "It's nice to finally meet you Hinata."

The Hyuuga blushed furiously at her name being uttered and quickly tried to remember all of the decorum that had been drilled into her over the years. As she began to bow before the elegant woman, a tinkling laugh erupted and small hands kept her from fully bowing. If it was even possible her face turned even redder from embarrassment. The woman took a step closer and lips that were painted red whispered in her ear.

"You will never prostrate before another again." She said and then hooked their arms together and began to speak in a louder voice. "Come. Let's get out of the cold!"

 **….**

Hinata did her best not to fidget as tea was set out before herself and the woman who had greeted her in the courtyard. She wanted to drink some of the tea that had been offered to her but her fingers shook so terribly that she couldn't risk it. If she spilled tea on herself they would think she was no better than a child. Instead, she clutched the silver edges of her sleeves underneath the table and tried to remind herself to breathe.

"Was your journey very difficult for you?" the woman asked from over the edge of her porcelain teacup.

Mistrustful of her own voice, Hinata shook her head. The woman set down her teacup and dreamily rested her chin in her now free hand.

"I remember I detested the journey from my home, although I came in the heat of summer." She said with a wistful quality to her words. "It may be cold but at least none of your attendants dropped dead along the way hm? Silver linings."

Hinata felt her eyes widen at the woman's words and the tinkling laugh from before filled the room.

"I'm joking dear." She said and though she stopped laughing her smile did not vanish. "You are nervous yes? Don't be. I promise not to be a horrid mother-in-law. My own was a nightmare. May her soul rest peacefully in the pits of hell."

Hinata waited for her to assure her that this too was a joke but no such thing occurred. Instead, she scooted around the low table until they were sitting side by side and pulled her hand out of her lap. Two warm hands wrapped around her own trembling one and the woman pulled her forward a bit.

"Uchiha-sama-" she started but the woman continued to smile and shook her head.

"Everyone here calls me Uchiha-sama. It gets a bit stifling after a while." She confessed. "You can call me Mikoto. One day, when you are comfortable, I can be your ka-san yes?"

 _Okaa-san?_

Her heart tugged uncomfortably at the notion of uttering words she hadn't since she was small. The opal pendant burned the skin of her chest at the notion but she nodded her head anyway. One day…maybe she would be comfortable enough. For now though, Mikoto would do.

"Mikoto-san." She said, her own voice barely over a whisper but it seemed to make her new mother-in-law very happy. She threw her arms around her neck nearly destabilizing them both but somehow they remained upright.

"You have such a cute voice!"

"Okaa-san." A deep voice called out from the other side of the room. Despite the impropriety of Mikoto's affection, she didn't let Hinata go and the girl felt as if she were nearly about to faint from the contact. "I believe you are overwhelming her."

At that Mikoto reluctantly let her go and looked at her with curious dark eyes. Her red lips pursed together in a pout.

"I believe you're right Itachi-kun."

 _Itachi?_

Hinata stiffened at the mention of his name and didn't dare turn to look at his face. Meeting Mikoto first was enough for her brain to process. Meeting her intended right after was just too much. She hadn't even had a chance to change out of her traveling clothes. This was _not_ the first impression that she'd wished to make.

"If you could give us a moment." Itachi said and Mikoto bristled at his request.

"I can't very well leave you alone with her. What will the staff think?"

"You've never been one to care much."

"Mmmm true." Mikoto mused, gently tapping her chin in mock contemplation. "I'll only give you a moment. There is much left for us to discuss."

Hinata wanted to stop the older woman from leaving. She was much too cavalier to leave her alone in the presence of a man even if he was her intended. Even if he was her son. This was not the way the Hyuuga handled things! Keeping her eyes focused on her lap, Mikoto gracefully rose from her seat and took her leave of the small tea room. When the door closed softly behind her, heavy footsteps approached the seat that had been vacated.

"I do hope that my mother did not scare you off." Itachi said as he slowly sank down to sit next to her. "She means well."

Hinata swallowed thickly and found her throat to be uncomfortably dry. Once again she cursed her treacherous fingers for being unable to pick up a simple teacup. Beside her, Itachi shifted to get comfortable under the low table. She unconsciously flinched at the sudden moment and felt her face radiate heat for the umpteenth time that day. Suddenly warm fingers gently tilted her chin up so she no longer saw the smooth finish of the mahogany table. Instead, she found herself staring into eyes that were unnervingly dark.

"You are definitely of the Hyuuga clan." He said flatly as he slightly moved her face with his index finger and thumb. "I have not seen eyes like this but I've heard the rumors."

Did he find her eyes strange? He most certainly didn't have much room to talk. His own eyes were so dark they could be mistaken for the night sky when the clouds blocked out moon and stars. Limitless. Scary. Inexplicably, the edges of his dark eyes crinkled and he let her chin go. Once he did, she was able to lean away and get a better look at his face as a whole. He was younger than she'd anticipated. She'd been afraid that her clan had given her off to a man twice her age but that wasn't the case. His pale face was free from wrinkles and outside of a bit of fatigue around his eyes, he appeared healthy enough. Healthy and ….handsome. Blushing, Hinata looked away from him and focused her eyes back onto the table.

"You are a skittish one." Itachi said. "My mother once kept doves. They were easily frightened creatures. They were especially afraid of Sasuke. When he was small he had no concept of how to be gentle so held them a bit too tightly they bit his fingers till they bled and he let them go."

Hinata looked up from the table with wide eyes at Itachi's story and he smirked. He and his mother appeared to share the same strange sense of humor.

"Worry not. Sasuke still has a perfect use of all his fingers. He was even able to steal a bow and arrow the next day even though our medic dissuaded him from using his hands." Itachi explained and Hinata felt the corners of her mouth twitch into an almost smile.

At least this story had a bit of a happy ending. She tried to hide the expression behind the wide sleeve of her kimono but Itachi caught her wrist through the silk and lowered her hand back to the table.

"In any case, I believe that our mother has found a new little dove to care for that even Sasuke can't set free."

 **….**

 **The Seventeenth Winter of the Taka**

 **Uchiha District-Uchiha Shiro**

 **…..**

She was… _different._ That much at least he could glean from her. It wasn't a bad different but it certainly wasn't good. He couldn't really tell since she sat as if her food would jump off her plate and attack her. Inwardly Sasuke chuckled at the thought of the roasted pig in the center of the table suddenly reanimating itself and trotting right up to the frightened girl. She's probably faint. If she fainted they'd send her right back to whatever rock she had climbed out of.

"Hinata-chan are you hungry?" his mother asked.

Around the room the servants paused in their actions, fearing an impending reproach about the food they'd served. Girls like the Hyuuga tended to be picky ones. Sasuke watched lazily as the girl stared at his mother with wide eyes at being acknowledged. Silence was the only answer that she could manage and Sasuke couldn't help but suck in his teeth. What was she? Mute? Across the table, his mother narrowed her eyes at him but he paid her no mind. This entire dinner was bothersome anyway. Where was Itachi? He should be sitting her entertaining this silent thing that had been brought into the District not him.

' _He's probably packing.'_ Sasuke thought bitterly as he rose from his seat. _'Otou-san doesn't even care that this_ _thing_ _was to show up today.'_

"Sasuke?" his mother asked an odd mix of concern and irritation coloring her tone. "Where are you going?"

"Out."

The servants scattered as he moved around the table and his mother's irritation melted away. As he passed she grabbed his hand to give it a momentary squeeze of comfort. He didn't return the gesture but it had the desired effect of taking the edge off of his frustration. The Hyuuga girl didn't look up as he left but then again he didn't expect such a strange thing as her to do so. She was Itachi's problem now.

Once more the thought of his brother filled his mouth with a sour taste. He didn't _hate_ Itachi. It wasn't his fault that he was never called to the lines with their father. It wasn't his fault that their father only recognized one son…

… _."Try again."_

" _Aniki!"_

" _You're the one that wished to train. Do it again."_

" _Otou-san doesn't care about throwing rocks! This isn't training. This is stupid." Sasuke grumbled under his breath and the comment earned him a sharp smack to the back of his head. He winced at the strike but Itachi had no sympathy to spare for him._

" _If Okaa-san hears you speak that way she will surely hit you harder."_

 _Huffing, he picked up another rock. This one was not so smooth, not so flat. He threw it haphazardly into the river without much care and of course it sank just like all of the other rocks. They'd been at this stupid task for well over an hour. When he'd asked to train he'd wanted help with throwing kunai or his stance with a katana. This was just pointless. Plus he was hot and hungry. None of this was doing his attitude any favors._

" _Again."_

" _No-"_

 _His insubordination earned him another smack to the back of his head._

" _Do as I say."_

" _Fine."_

 _Taking a deep breath, Sasuke tossed the smooth stone in his palm into the fast-moving river but instead of skipping across the water as it was supposed to, it sank right to the bottom._

" _This is impossible."_

 _He turned away from the river with his arms crossed in defiance. He would not entertain another moment of his brother's stupid tasks. If Itachi hit him again so be it! Otou-san wouldn't notice his progress anyway!_

 _Much to his own chagrin, however, Itachi squatted down and stared pensively at the many rocks that lined the bank. His dark eyes silently scanned the rocks and occasionally he would pick one up only to toss it over his shoulder when he found it to be unsatisfactory. Finally, he seemed to find a rock that satisfied his requirements and stood up. He stared out at the river, turning to stone over in his hand. He then tossed the stone and it skipped a total of five times before almost making it to the other side._

" _Show off." Sasuke hissed._

 _Itachi chuckled and crossed his arms over his chest in a manner that Sasuke found to be too smug._

" _I'm not showing off. You throw with too much force."_

 _"In battle, you're supposed to be forceful."_

" _Not everything in battle requires you to barrel through like an angry bull Ototo." Itachi sighed as he pulled a stone from his pocket and handed it to Sasuke. Begrudgingly, he accepted it._

" _Try again. I don't have much time to teach you."…_

….The cold hit his face hard once he made it outside. It bit at his nose sharply but his feet set him forward to the river of his youth. Though the sun had set long ago, the moon hung in the sky and illuminated the dense forest in a dull silver light. Even if the moon wasn't so bright he would have made it to the river as he always did. Alone. Angry. Happy. Frustrated. No matter the state he was in he always managed to find his way to the river's edge.

It didn't take long to reach the river's edge and once he had he immediately began looking for a suitable rock. His eyes scanned the black stones dyed silver by the moon. Some were too small, others too irregularly shaped. It was pointless but once he found a rock that was suitable, he sighed and lazily turned the smooth stone over in his palm. If the river wasn't so still he could have skipped it clear across to the other side. Being that it was the task was much too easy to even be worth his time. To think that only three years ago he found the task to be impossible.

"I thought you'd be here." A familiar voice called behind him.

Sasuke turned to see Itachi bounding up to him, a dark cloak that blended in with the night billowing behind him.

"Shouldn't you be with Izumi?" Sasuke snorted.

His brother usually found his way to Izumi after dinner. Even with his intended arriving, they weren't married _yet_. They wouldn't be until their mother found her to be suitable enough to carry the mantle of the matriarch. Based off of the Hyuuga's behavior tonight, it would be quite some time before that would be possible.

"Izumi is gone." Itachi said.

At this Sasuke rolled his eyes, absentmindedly turning the smooth stone he held in his hand as he did so. There was no such thing as 'finished' when it came to the Uchiha. Things only ended when they died and even then their problems still seem to live on past the grave. Still, he had to respect his brother for trying. Kami knew that their father didn't.

"Well, now you don't have to worry about that girl getting poisoned while you're away." Sasuke said although there was an edge of bitterness to his words.

"I will only be gone a short while Ototo. Then it will be your turn."

Sasuke crossed his arms over his chest as he looked out at the frozen river. Past the river. Past the District gate. Hundreds of miles away there were fires burning brightly into the night. Around those fires, men sharpened their swords and told tales of the bodies that had been run through. Itachi would be joining their ranks soon. He'd have tales of his own soon and in time he'd return to the District to tell them.

"You should be kind to Hinata while I am away." Itachi said, breaking the silence between them. Sasuke scoffed and rolled his eyes.

"I am never _un_ kind." He countered.

"Hmm, I have heard the rumors of your last stint at the palace. There were many bruised egos left in your wake."

"Those with thin skin are not my burden to bear."

"Your tongue is sharp."

"My sword should be sharper."

"Otou-san does not do this to spite you."

Sasuke snorted and dropped the rock he held onto the ground.

They both knew that wasn't true.

 _ **To be continued…**_

 _Silent the old town . . ._

 _the scent of flowers_

 _floating . . ._

 _An evening bell_

 _(Basho)_


	3. Chapter 3

**CCNote: Hey! New chappie just for you! I know that many of you find this story to be predictable but I promise you it's not. I like reading your guesses though. Its fun for me to see the way you _think_ this story will go. I hope that this will be a fun read for all of you!**

 **ANYWAY! Shout out to my beta ClassySassyFunkyFresh. Thanks so much for your help!**

 **Don't forget to review! Remember more reviews mean that more new people will click on this story! Plus your feedback makes me so happy! Without further ado, please enjoy!**

 _Silent the old town..._

 _the scent of flowers...floating_

 _An evening bell_

 _(Basho)_

 ** _Chapter Three_**

 ** _A New Life_**

 **The Seventeenth Winter of the Hato**

 **Uchiha District- Uchiha Shiro**

 **..…**

Hinata let out a deep sigh of relief as she sank down into the warm water of the hot spring. Slowly but surely she sank down into the dark water and relished the contrast of the cold air around her with it. This was the first time in three weeks that she'd gotten a proper bath that was not in an inn as well as the first time in a hot spring. The Hyuuga compound was entirely landlocked. There were no lakes or rivers to speak of nearby and the ocean was hundreds of miles away. Or at least that was what Ko had told them during their lessons.

Life outside the inner ring of the Hyuuga Compound was not something that she'd been privy to. Even now she'd merely moved from one cage to a box only to be transported to a larger cage. This one was gilded with gold and emblazoned with the name Uchiha but it was still a cage just the same. Perhaps she was nothing more than the dove Itachi described her to be. Absently she clutched the opal pendant around her neck and bit her bottom lip.

Uchiha Itachi was a stranger. He was an interesting stranger but a stranger nonetheless. Part of her wanted to know about him but a larger part was afraid. The only men she knew were all her family and they all looked at her like she was something that was fragile. Itachi had a similar look in his eyes though it held a more curious quality to it as if he were trying to figure her out. Sasuke, on the other hand, looked at her as if she were a mukade he'd found beneath a rock. The Hyuuga groaned at the memory of his disdain for her at the dinner table and squeezed her eyes close. She hadn't been able to string together a proper sentence since she'd arrived. It was no small wonder that the younger Uchiha wouldn't like her.

How long before she lost the sheen of being new and Itachi was no longer curious about her? Would he look at her like his brother did? If he lost interest in her before they married would he send her back home? Taking a deep breath, Hinata sank down further into the water until she was fully submerged within its depths. She couldn't allow herself to think negatively like this. Not everything had been terrible. There was so much to learn and explore about the Uchiha District. There was freedom here, freedoms that she'd never been allowed to have within the Compound. Her father had never allowed her or Hanabi to go far and now…now she was in a whole new world. At that thought, her lungs began to scream for air so she resurfaced from the water. Once she was no longer submerged, she gasped for air greedily until it filled her lungs.

"What are you doing here?" a cold voice demanded flatly.

Frozen right in the middle of pushing her hair out of her face, Hinata opened her eyes to see the youngest Uchiha staring at her from the edge of the hot spring. He stood boldly before her in a thin white robe, his hands paused in the process of removing it. Dark eyes looked her up and down as well, shifting from his previous disdain to amusement as they moved down from her face. With a small scream of realization, she quickly covered her breasts with her hands and lowered herself back into the water until it lapped at her neck. Sasuke snorted at her actions and proceeded to remove his robe. Hinata squeaked, covering her eyes with one of her hands before she saw more than she should.

The only man she'd seen naked was Neji in the winter when hot water was limited and those instances stopped when he turned ten. The youngest Uchiha appeared to have no sense of decorum. The sound of water lapping against the rocks of the spring let her know that he'd gotten in. With her eyes still closed, she hesitantly moved forward to make it back to the spring's edge. Sasuke chuckled from the other side of the hot spring and the sound of it made her skin turn red from embarrassment.

"Don't worry Hyuuga." He said and Hinata uncovered her eyes hesitantly to find that he'd turned his back to her. "I will not take what belongs to my brother. You have nothing that interests me anyway."

Nothing that interests him?

Hinata pressed her lips together in a tight line, unsure of whether to be grateful or offended. In any case, she needed to leave before anyone suspected that something had transpired between them. It would bring a great shame to her family if she were believed to have been tainted. Taking a deep breath she kept her chest covered with her arms and made her way to the edge of the spring. The entire time she warily glanced at Sasuke but apparently, he held a small sliver of honor within him and didn't turn around. Still, he was just as much of stranger as Itachi but worse. He was _mean_.

"Hurry up Hyuuga." Sasuke sighed "I'd like to continue bathing without you splashing around."

The teen in question narrowed her eyes at his pale back for a second more before lifting herself up out of the water. As fast as she could she grabbed her own bathrobe from where she'd neatly laid it on a rock and hastily unfolded it. Once open, she slid her arms through the thin material and tied it closed at her waist. Out of the corner of her eye, she glanced one more time at her unwanted companion to make sure that he wasn't looking at her. He wasn't. Instead, he was moving towards the other side of the spring that overlooked the lit District below.

 _You have nothing that interests me…_

'Good.' Hinata thought as she pulled the neckline of her robe to cover as high as it would go.

She then turned and left the silent Uchiha alone in the spring. It was for the best that she didn't interest a man like him. She barely knew him but already she could tell that he would not help to make her life within the District easy. No matter how mean he might turn out to be it didn't matter. Sasuke wasn't her intended and therefore had nothing that interested her either.

 **….**

The next morning Hinata awoke to the warmth of the sun shining on her face through her window and a momentary feeling of anxiety. The ceiling she stared at was not her own. The futon she laid on was fluffier and larger than she remembered. There was the faint smell of incense burning from a place not far away. All of it combined to remind her that she was a long, long way from home. This room was twice as large as her old room, though at the moment it was free of any personal effects that would make it feel like home. She wouldn't be spending much time in this room anyway as she would be moved to share a bed with the man she'd come to marry.

Frowning, she sat up and looked to her right side. Hanabi usually slept there, her arms and legs tangled in the sheets. She was small for twelve but somehow she always managed to take up more space than she should. She used to lament the fact that her sister was a futon hog. Now…now her futon was big enough for Hanabi to spread out as much as she wanted with room to spare. What was Hanabi doing right now? Had Ko woken her up for breakfast yet?

' _Breakfast?_ ' Hinata thought for a moment, a cold sensation of panic coursing through her veins. _'Breakfast! Oh, Kami!"_

Jumping up to her feet, Hinata moved to one of the many trunks that had arrived with her. She threw open the first one that she could get too and grabbed the first heavy yukata she could find. She couldn't get into a kimono on her own but a yukata was easy enough. Fortunately, luck was on her side and her fingers quickly found her favorite dark purple yukata. She quickly pulled it over her white underclothes, securing the material with strips of cloth that she found in the bottom of her trunk. She wasn't so lucky in finding a matching obi as the first one she found was a muted green color that she didn't like very much. As quickly as she could she tried to make a neat knot, but it was nowhere near as good as her attendant usually did.

Huffing she shifted the obi around her waist until the knot was behind her and quickly scurried out of the room. It would leave a horrible impression on the Uchiha if she were late for breakfast on her first day here! Fortunately, the halls around her room were empty. Unfortunately, that meant that she had no one to ask for directions to where breakfast was being served.

' _I'm the worst!_ ' Hinata groaned as she ran up and down the halls in search of someone to help her.

When not a soul could be found she wandered around until she finally happened upon a corridor that looked vaguely familiar. She could also smell the faint scent of cooked meat so that had to mean that _someone was around._ Or at least she hoped. As she followed the smell down the hall, the sound of muffled voices accompanied it and her confidence grew. She finally found herself outside of a door that she remembered from less than twenty-four hours ago and Mikoto's distant laugh came from just beyond it. Hinata took a deep breath and tried to straighten out her woefully misshapen obi. There wasn't much that she could do but it was better than the Uchihas thinking that she was lazy by not showing up for breakfast.

With that thought in mind, she slid the door open with every intention of facing her intended and an immaculately kept mother-in-law. When she opened the door she found the small tea table overfilled with breakfast food but the occupants within the room were not eating. Itachi was nowhere to be found and in his stead, Sasuke sat between his mother's legs as she dragged a comb through his unruly dark hair. Mikoto was not dressed anywhere near as regally as she had been the day before. Instead, she wore a loose dark blue yukata and her hair was free from expensive ornaments. She looked younger this way...less intimidating...

"Ah! That hurts!" he hissed as the woman clearly hit a snag. Mikoto showed him no mercy however and continued combing through his hair.

"If you allowed Mai or Miu to do it at night I wouldn't have to."

The Uchiha mumbled something under his breath that sounded vaguely like 'stupid women' and it earned a sharp smack to the back of his head with an ivory comb. Hinata couldn't help the small snicker that escaped her lips at the sight of Sasuke being reprimanded by his mother. He didn't look as intimidating as he did last night in the hot spring. Plus they were both fully clothed so that improved matters significantly.

"Ah! Hinata-chan!" Mikoto greeted pleasantly. "Did you sleep well? I always have a difficult time sleeping in a new place. Please have a seat and eat. Now, this morning I was thinking…"

As Mikoto continued to prattle on, Hinata slowly lowered herself onto one of the cushions around the small breakfast table. Laid out before her was an assortment of pickled vegetables, rice, and grilled meat. It was a much heavier fare than she was used to but she couldn't deny that it smelled appetizing. She hadn't taken more than a few bites of dinner last night as her stomach was doing backflips with the anticipation that Itachi would make a reappearance. He hadn't come to dinner but he had to get hungry at some point. Maybe he would come to breakfast. Hinata glanced back at the door, the intensity of her stomach flips returned full force. If he did come to breakfast perhaps- _maybe-_ she might be able to say something.

"All done!" Mikoto said as she moved away from Sasuke so that she could stand up. "I'll go see if some hot tea can be brought since you joined us, dear. Ginseng or green? Mmmmm I'm thinking black tea this morning myself."

Hinata didn't even have time to respond to Mikoto's ramblings before she'd taken her leave from the room in search of tea.

"He's not coming." Sasuke said as soon as the door was closed.

Hinata blinked at him, not quite understanding what he meant but he ignored her confusion in favor of settling down at the breakfast table. He then flipped open one of the bowls of rice and began piling it high with the other side dishes available to them. When Sasuke said that _he_ wasn't coming did he mean Itachi? Taking a deep breath, Hinata fiddled with the edge of her sleeve and gathered what little bravery she had.

"Uchiha-san." She started to say and the man in question paused only briefly in his meal. "Um…who are you talking about?"

Sasuke smirked at her question and lowered his chopsticks to rest on the table.

"So she _can_ speak. Let's see if you can eat too." He said as he crossed his arms over his chest. "My brother left the moment the sun rose this morning."

"He is…gone?"

How could that be? She just got here. Sasuke rolled his eyes at her surprise and went back to eating.

"Don't look so surprised Hyuuga. Itachi has always left the instant father has sent for him. The moment father dies he will be gone even more."

 _I hear they are warriors!_

 _I hear that they have never lost a battle!_

When Hanabi had said it the notion of what being a warrior might entail didn't really hit her. She knew that warriors fought but they were not in a war. According to Ko, the last great war ended a century ago. If there was no war did that mean that Itachi would come back soon? How long would he be away? A month? Two? Would any sons they have together have to fight too? Hinata opened her mouth to ask these questions to Sasuke but the door to the tea room opened and Mikoto came in with a large smile on her face and two servants on her heels. In her hands, she held two scrolls that she gleefully tapped against her chin.

"Sasuke-kun I believe that your nasty attitude will improve greatly once you read this." She said cheekily before handing him one of the scrolls. She then turned to Hinata and handed her the other. "I hope you didn't think you would receive nothing."

Hinata blushed at Mikoto's but accepted the scroll with a bashful nod of her head. She really hadn't expected to receive anything since there was no way her family would be able to get a letter to her for at least another three weeks at the earliest. Yet here was a scroll for her that Mikoto said was for her. Curiously she turned the scroll over in her hands to find thick black ink written in a hand that was unfamiliar to her but would soon become so.

 _ **To the little dove…**_

 **….**

 **The Seventeenth Winter of the Taka**

 **Uchiha District- Uchiha Shiro**

 **….**

Sasuke frowned as he stared at the sealed letter his mother had given him. He'd seen his brother off this morning and although they'd exchanged few words there really hadn't been much to say. Nothing that was nice anyway. He wasn't going to apologize for leaving him at the river last night. He also wasn't going to tell him about seeing his intended in the hot springs.

The youngest Uchiha glanced up from his scroll to see the woman in question lifting her teacup to her lips. The wide sleeves of her purple yukata fell to her elbows as she did so, revealing the pale skin of her forearms. He watched as she took a sip of her tea and when she swallowed so did he. Sasuke looked away from her, his hand gripping the material above his thigh tightly.

Hell would freeze over before he _ever_ told his brother about what happened last night. He could only hope that the Hyuuga was smart enough to do the same. If she turned out to be as vapid as the girls from the palace he would have a problem on his hands.

' _At least she looks better.'_ Sasuke thought but just as quickly as he did, he banished the notion from his mind.

"Sasuke-kun." His mother said, breaking him from his thoughts. "I have to meet with the elders this morning. Will you show Hinata-chan around her new home?"

Sasuke looked up from his plate, disturbed by his mother's request. Across the table, the Hyuuga had a more evident look of surprise and fear on her face at the prospect of being in his company. He snorted at her reaction and went back to eating his breakfast. If he finished fast enough he might be able to convince Kakashi to train him later. Mikoto narrowed her eyes at him as she crossed her arms over her chest.

"Sasuke."

The Uchiha frowned and kept his seat. Just because his mother dropped her term of endearment it would not move him to complete her task.

"It's fine Mikoto-san." Hinata said softly, her pales eyes lowered to stare at her own uneaten meal.

Sasuke sucked in his teeth and dropped his chopsticks unceremoniously on the table. Did this thing know how pathetic she looked like that? He couldn't eat with her looking like that- not properly at least. With a grunt, he stood and made his way to the door.

"Come on." He said and the Hyuuga let out a squeak of surprise.

"Oh this is wonderful! Itachi will be happy if you two get along!"

 _Be kind to Hinata, Sasuke._

Sasuke rolled his eyes and left the tea room without waiting to see if the Hyuuga was following him. His brother and mother were being ridiculous if they thought that he would treat their interloper any different than he did everyone else. As he made his way down the hall, he could hear small feet padding after him in an effort to catch up.

"U-u-uchiha-san!" she called out breathlessly as he rounded the corner.

For what felt like the umpteenth time that morning, Sasuke rolled his eyes but he stopped so that she could catch up to him. She came around the corner as fast as she could. Her pale cheeks were flushed pink from exertion as she struggled to catch her breath, ink-like strands escaping from the careful braid she'd had her hair in. His lips tugged upward in a mix of amusement and annoyance at her disheveled appearance but turned away before she could see.

"Keep up Hyuuga."

Though he didn't check back to see if she was following him, he did shorten his stride. His mother would blame him if the girl fell and got hurt. As dutifully as he could, he showed the Hyuuga girl around the expansive wings that made up what would now be her new home. From the multiple courtyards to the extensive library. It took most of the morning just to get from one end of their property to the other.

Itachi _should_ have been the one to show her everything. _He_ would have enjoyed the way the Hyuuga craned her neck back to look up at the elaborately painted ceilings that depicted the greatest Uchiha battles. _He_ would have been able to explain the meaning behind all of the tapestries and name exactly where their most expensive items came from. Itachi had taught him everything about their home…or at least as much as he was willing to. There was still so much that Itachi wasn't willing to say.

Sasuke frowned and slid open the door to the last room he had to show her. He stepped to the side to allow Hinata space to step up into the tatami-covered room. The petite woman looked around, her mouth slightly agape as she took in the space. The walls were lined with so many weapons that it was difficult to see the intricately painted red mural behind them. Tentatively she walked over to where their training katana were mounted.

Sasuke followed behind her, amused that she was so fascinated with weapons he saw every day. Slender, curious fingers reached out to grasp the red hilt of Shisui's favored blade to practice with and pulled it from it's sheath. Once removed fully, she found the weight of the blade to be too much and her arms fell downwards. Though dulled for practice the blade still sliced through some of the tatami, barely missing the woman's sock covered foot. Unable to cover his smirk, Sasuke removed the heavy blade from her hands. Itachi would have more than a few words to say to him if his intended cut her toes off.

"Do…do you know how to use this?" Hinata asked, cheeks flushed a soft pink from her embarrassing misstep.

"Of course." He replied with a grunt as he resheathed Shisui's sword.

He knew how to wield every weapon within the room-some better than other of course. He still wasn't as good as his brother. He _never would be_ if his father and Itachi kept leaving him behind to perform softer tasks.

"My sister would love this." Hinata said as she continued to admire their weapons.

"Your sister?"

"Mmm." The Hyuuga said, turning to smile at him for the first time since she'd arrived. "Hanabi would never leave if she saw this."

"What business does a girl have with a sword in her hand?"

At his words, the smile she wore faltered.

"She could be very good if given a chance."

"A chance to do what? Dazzle the enemy with a tea ceremony?"

Pink lips opened to retort but nothing came out. Instead, she closed her mouth and shuffled past him to leave. Was she angry with him? He hadn't said anything that wasn't true. The door to the training room slid open and shut before the words fell from his tongue.

 **….**

 **The Twentieth Winter of the Karasu**

 **Suruga Bay**

 **….**

"Finally!" Shisui cried out as their small party reached the top of the hill overlooking his father's camp. "I thought my dick was going to fall off!"

Itachi wanted to tell his cousin to mind his tongue but it wasn't like he disagreed with him. The ride out to the coast had taken much longer than they'd anticipated. It was surprisingly easy for a three-week journey to turn into six when the snow made it difficult to keep going. Sighing, he looked down at the fires burning below the hill and surveyed the area. He could hear the laughter of his father's men, the smell of their meat roasting over spits mingling with the salty air of the ocean. He didn't like being away from home but there was just something about _this_ that felt right. As guilty as he felt for leaving Sasuke behind, he had no business being here. He'd never killed a man nor had to wash his blood from beneath his fingernails.

"Alright men!" Shisui called over his shoulder to their companions. "Unclench your cheeks the lot of you. We will convene as normal at dawn."

The men immediately relaxed at Shisui's instruction, eager to join their compatriots down below. They knocked against each other playfully, their armor clinking more than it should as they roughhoused. Itachi felt the corners of his lips twitch as one of his men fell on their face only to be dragged to standing. It was good to be back.

"What are you smiling about Itachi-kun?" Shisui asked with a suggestive wiggle of his eyebrows. "Thinking about the girl you left back home perhaps?"

"Get your mind out of the gutter Shisui." Itachi sighed and his companion laughed.

Together the two men followed the others down the hill and dismounted from their horses just as they reached the edge of the encampment. His father's men cheered as they passed by. Shouts of 'welcome back' accompanied whoops and offers to join their fires. He and Shisui politely declined them all and of course, they understood. Uchiha Fugaku was not a man that liked to be kept waiting and they were already three weeks late.

His father's tent was easy enough to find. It was right in the middle of the encampment, the largest of all the tents and of course emblazoned with the Uchiha crest on the front. Shisui clapped on the shoulder when they reached the entrance before holding his hand out to take the reigns of his horse. Itachi pressed his lips together and eyed his older cousin suspiciously.

"What? I'm just trying to be helpful and put away your horse."

Itachi shook his head. They both knew he just didn't want to be caught in the crosshairs if his father turned out to be in a sour mood. The Uchiha heir waved a chuckling Shisui away and prepared to face his father. The sooner the better. Pushing open the tent flap, Itachi was met with the sight of his father. He stood with back to the tent's opening, arms outstretched as attendants skillfully removed layers of silk. When the attendants noticed his entry they stopped their tasks and bowed lowly at the waist.

"I thought I said-" Fugaku growled, his dark eyes narrowed as he turned to see what gave his servants pause. Dark eyes narrowed at the sight of him. "You're late."

"I can't control the weather."

"Sounds like an excuse."

His words had an edge to them but his eyes expressed otherwise. Fugaku dismissed the attendants with a wave of his hand and they gratefully scampered away. He then moved over to the large strategy table where an already opened bottle of spirits awaited him. Fugaku flipped over one cup and poured himself a healthy share before pouring one for his son. Itachi smirked as he approached his father to accept the offering.

The first sip burned his throat terribly but it warmed the inside of his chest just enough to take the edge off of the chill that surrounded them. When he finished his first glass, his father was ready to pour him a second. As Fugaku refilled his glass, Itachi and looked down at the large map outstretched over the strategy table. The topography was nothing that could be found in any of the maps that he'd studied. Their nation was but a tiny speck in next to this foreign land.

' _Dammit._ ' Itachi thought as his father placed a heavy hand on his shoulder.

"Prepare yourself my son."

 **….**

 **The Seventeenth Fall of the Hato**

 **Uchiha District- Uchiha Shiro**

 **…..**

Pale fingers curved to delicately hold the heavy tea bowl in her right hand and chasen with her left. With a wrist bent like the willow tree just outside the window, she whisked the tea vigorously until it began to bubble up at her actions. However, a sharp smack on her wrist stopped her movements and left a red print behind.

"Your are stirring too fast." Mikoto reprimanded as she took the tools from the Hyuuga's hands and set them on a nearby tray.

A servant quickly collected the tray while another set a replacement beside Mikoto. The older woman scanned the new tray with careful eyes before proceeding to go through the entire tea ceremony on her own. Hinata watched her mother-in-law as carefully as she could but the strange sense of anticipation kept her from focusing as well as she should. Outside of the tea room window, spring rain pattered softly against the glass in a way that complemented the way Mikoto stirred.

Life within the Uchiha District was easier in some ways than her childhood in the Compound. Mikoto had kept her promise to not be a 'terrible' mother-in-law but she accepted nothing less than perfection in all things. Hinata could do nothing less than try to rise to her expectations. She _wanted_ to have her acceptance. There were very few things that made her more excited than Mikoto's smile of approval and kind words. The only other thing that made her heart flutter faster was getting mail.

 _That_ was an even rarer occurrence.

Itachi had been away for much longer than any of them had anticipated but he still did his best to tell them news from the Uchiha battalion. Some months they would receive large bundles of elegantly written scrolls bound with twine and sealed with the Uchiha crest. Giant trunks of silks and gold would be delivered to the front courtyard and dragged away with great difficulty. At other times months would pass without a word. Still, even if she didn't receive a letter from Itachi, letters from her family eventually made their way to the District. Those letters were just as good as the ones from Itachi. Hinata sighed absently and Mikoto gently tapped her on her nose.

"You are not paying attention Hinata-chan." Mikoto said with a smile. "Is it possible that you find this to be boring you?"

Hinata blushed and shook her head but Mikoto's smile didn't slip away. If anything it only became wider as she placed her tools on the table and stretched her arms upward.

"I tire of this." She said and a servant came to take the tray away.

"I…I'm sorry for seeming distracted." Hinata confessed softly but Mikoto waved away her apology.

"I remember being your age once." She sighed and looked out at the rain wistfully."I could hardly pay attention some days my head was full of daydreams and sweet words…"

 _Knock. Knock._

Mikoto blinked, snapping out of her own reverie to sit up straighter before giving the person on the other side of the door to enter. The shojo door slid open to reveal a darkly clad servant that bowed lowly in their presence.

"Uchiha-sama. The courier has arrived." She said and Hinata felt her entire body grow tense.

The courier coming meant that they had letters. Within their bag was the hope of word from her family…maybe even Itachi. Mikoto smiled beside her and waved the servant away.

"Go on little dove. We are done together until dinner." She said with a knowing wink.

Hinata felt a smile break out on her own face before she rose from her own spot at the table. She then scurried out of the room, her hopes soaring with every step forward. Her socked feet padded quickly down corridors that had once been unfamiliar three years ago but she now knew as well as her childhood home. It didn't take her long to reach the courtyard where the courier was usually received. She stood underneath the covered walkway, clutching the rain-soaked rail tightly as a dark figure holding an umbrella accepted the courier's delivery.

Her own heart beat within her chest, excited beyond measure and expectant in ways that she shouldn't allow. Still, she couldn't help but get her hopes up. Slowly the figure holding the umbrella made their way across the courtyard to where she stood. Their geta clicked loudly against the slick cobblestone, each step bringing her closer to news of her loved ones. Once the carrier reached the first step to the walkway, they closed their umbrella and Hinata felt a sour taste rise up to the back of her throat. Uchiha Sasuke stared up at her from the first step.

Apathetic eyes looked her up and down silently, mildly annoyed by her presence. In the time that she'd been in the Uchiha District there wasn't a moment that she could remember when he _wasn't_ annoyed with her. A not so small part of her was positive that he got enjoyment out of taunting her. Swallowing nervously, she averted her gaze down to her feet and fiddled with the edge of her sleeve.

"Uchiha-san." She started, her voice barely louder than the rain that fell upon the roof of the walkway. "Is…is there anything for…for me?"

Sasuke grunted and climbed up one step. She shuffled back to put distance between them.

"For you?" he said as he took another step closer. "You have become an expectant thing haven't you?"

Hinata frowned and tried to stand her ground but once he climbed the last step she was forced to look up at him. His lips curved into a smirk, reminding her once more that not all things about living in the Uchiha District were pleasant.

"There may be something in here for you. There may not be." He said as he dangled the tied bundle of scrolls next to her head.

Hinata tried to grab the bundle but he raised it higher than she could reach. That irritating smirk of his never left his lips. She narrowed her eyes at his antics and tried to reach for the bundle when he lowered it slightly but to no avail.

"Uchiha-san!" she huffed as she jumped to reach the letters he held.

If her jumping didn't surprise him, her raising her voice to him certainly did and she knocked into him when she was unable to reach the letters. She would have fallen if it hadn't been for one of his arms wrapping around her waist to keep her upright. In the process of holding her, Sasuke had been distracted enough to lower the bundle to a height that she could reach.

Taking advantage of the opening, Hinata snatched the letters from between his fingers and pushed away from the Uchiha. Right at the top of the stack was a scroll with the Hyuuga seal and underneath that was one addressed to her in Itachi's familiar script. Slipping the two letters from the bundle, she let the rest of the letters fall to the ground and scurried away from the mess. Sasuke could clean up the scrolls himself! There was no reason that a person the same age as she was had to be so insufferable! The day he returned to the palace couldn't come soon enough!

Shaking her head, Hinata made her way to her room as quickly as she could with the scrolls from Itachi and Hanabi clutched tightly against her chest. When she finally reached her room, she slid open the door and scurried up to her desk. It took her a moment to decide which letter to open first but as the midday bell rang she placed Itachi's letter to the side and opened her sister's. She couldn't help but smile as she unfurled the parchment and was met with a familiar messy scrawl.

 _Hinata-nee,_

 _Have you ever imagined yourself as something else than what you were? The other day I fancied myself a fish. It was so vivid that I could almost feel the water on my skin. I've been a bird and a bear and a cat but I believe that I prefer being a fish. One day I will make it to the ocean and feel the waves. Neji says that the water is bluer than the sky and tastes like salt. How can water taste like salt? In any case, I want to taste it myself because he is probably wrong. I have a suspicion that Neji doesn't know_ _everything_ _even though he acts like it._

 _I asked father if I can see the ocean for my birthday next year and he just got really quiet. He'll probably say no. He always says no but they are expanding the koi pond. If I stick my feet in it's just as good as the ocean…_

Hinata smiled as she soaked in every word that her sister wrote. Her letters were always a stream of consciousness, a tiny window into her chaotic mind, and Hinata found herself enjoying it immensely. Her penmanship was lacking though. It took her several passes to decipher some of the characters that her brush had scrawled on the parchment. Ko was a stickler for penmanship and used to make sure that Hanabi's writing was at least legible… Hinata felt a bit of her smile falter at that thought.

If Ko wasn't being strict with Hanabi it was because he didn't need to be. The only reason he wouldn't need to be…Her heart caught in her throat and she shook her head. No. If she didn't give life to her fears they wouldn't happen. She just needed to keep the hope alive that Itachi would return to the District soon so that they could be married. Once they were married she would be matriarch and could send for Hanabi. She'd made a promise. She would keep that promise no matter what.

Nodding to herself, she pulled out a fresh roll of parchment from the small stand beside her drawing table and laid out the material before her. She then opened her glass vial of ink and dipped her brush in to prepare her own response to her sister.

 _My Hana,_

 _I believe that being a fish would suit you well but you must be wary of the fisherman's nets…_

 _ **To be continued…**_

 _First autumn morning_  
 _the mirror I stare into_  
 _shows my father's face._

 _(_ _Murakami Kijo)_


	4. Chapter 4

**CCNote: I think there is some confusion among you all about the timeline of this story. In my mind I saw the dating as a fun nugget for readers to clue in on. Some of you got it but its confusing a lot of you. Sorry ya'll!**

 **So here is a way to understand the headings:**

 **Taka= Hawk/ Sasuke. Karasu= Crow/Itachi. Hato= Dove/ Hinata. (Eventually appearing) Suzume= Sparrow/Hanabi.**

 **So for example: the Seventeenth Winter of the Taka means The Hawk's (Sasuke's) 17** **th** **winter. So whatever comes after that heading is happening while he is 17yrs old during the winter season.**

 **I'm not breaking things down by month/ day because during this time calendars were not standardized across the board. The standardized Gregorian calendar that we use in the West started in 1582 and before that was the Julian Calendar. Through the machinations of the Catholic Church the calendar we know today has changed so much. Regarding edo era Japan, the calendar was controlled by the imperial court scholars and the shogunate. Months were marked by the waxing/waning of the moon and usually 29 or 30 days long. Also sometimes they added in an extra month called "Uru-zuki" to make the year 13 months long instead of 12. Years were marked by the sitting Emperor's reign.**

 **In 1868 Japan adopted a one reign one era form of writing their years. We are currently in the Heisei era year 30 (Heisei 30). This era began the day Emperor Akihito took the throne in 1989 and will likely end unprecedently when he abdicates the throne to his son next year in April 2019 (Heisei 31). IDK what the new era will be called but it will surely be interesting.**

 **ANYWAY! For an example of how dates are written: In America we write 08/21/2018. In Japan this date would be written 30/8/21. Yes, even today, on all of my important documents (pay stubs, bills, residence card, etc) I'm writing 30 instead of 2018 but the two are interchangeable on regular day to day stuff since Japan adopted the Gregorian calendar in 1872. You'll see a version of one or the other on t.v., written in books, or on posters and stuff.**

 **As you can see calendars are complicated but regular smegular degular people marked the passing of time based on the seasons/harvest periods and how many times they'd experienced them. This is the simplest way to mark the passing of time but Sasuke's 17** **th** **Winter isn't as poetic as the Seventeenth Winter of the Taka. I'm also not writing out the Japanese names of the months for the edo calendar. That would just confuse everyone. So, I'm taking some creative license.**

 **I don't claim to be an expert on calendars and their history by any means, but I hope this clears some things up! I'll be posting the real chapter of 'Love' either Sunday or Monday so keep your eyes peeled.**

 _ **Until next time!**_


	5. Chapter 5

**CCNote:** **There is a large time skip between this chapter and the last one. Remember Hinata and Sasuke are the same age but at certain points in the year, Sasuke is older because he has a summer birthday while Hinata's is in the winter. Let's not make it more complicated than it already is. For the purposes of this story Hinata and Sasuke are the same age. Itachi is 3yrs older than they are. Hanabi is 4yrs younger. I'm not the best at math so I may slip up. Just pay attention to the headings and you won't be lost…. hopefully.**

 **ANYWAY, please enjoy this chapter and don't forget to REVIEW!**

 _ **Chapter 4**_

 _ **A Tale of Two Brothers**_

 _First autumn morning_

 _the mirror I stare into_

 _shows my father's face_

 _(Murakami Kijo)_

 **The Twentieth Fall of the Taka**

 **Imperial Palace- Treasury**

 **….**

"Sasuke what do you think of this?"

The Uchiha paid no heed to his blonde companion, instead moving from trunk to trunk to ensure that their spoils were all accounted for. He was loyal to the emperor but that didn't mean he had to entertain his son's every idiotic statement. If he did that he'd go insane.

"This silk feels so different!"

Sasuke frowned and reached down into one of the trunks to remove one of the many spools of silk thread that had been sent. It had a bit of an iridescent, silvery quality to it. It was almost familiar, but he couldn't quite put his finger on why.

"Oi, Sasuke. How much gold do you think is here?"

He looked down at the large scroll in his other hand and his eyes scanned the paper for a sum total of the riches they now possessed. When there wasn't any he frowned and rolled it back up. It would be _his_ job to oversee the details of their latest spoils.

"Man this is so much!" Naruto gushed, reaching his hand into a trunk of coins and putting some of it into the pockets of his robes. Sasuke smacked his hand and glared at him until he put it back.

"That hurt!"

"You don't need money." Sasuke said tersely and the emperor's son stuck his tongue out at him.

"So?"

The Uchiha rolled his eyes at his antics. Was this really their next leader? Kami help them all. Before he could return to his work though, Naruto looped an arm through his, navy blue and bright orange sleeves starkly contrasting, and dragged him from the trunks to the treasury door.

"Let's get out of here. This is boring."

"Naruto-"

"Nope. Don't Naruto me! You and I both know that there will be even more stuff for you to count two moons from now. There have been so many victories you'll be counting for months to come."

He was right. It rarely happened but Naruto was correct in this. Sasuke knew that his clan was skilled, but he'd never experienced this amount of wealth to have been obtained. Of course, only a fraction of it belonged to the Uchiha. It was more than they needed of course but the vast majority of the foreign treasures would go to the emperor and the shogunate. A smaller portion would be bestowed upon the lesser clans for their assistance in the conquests. Not that Sasuke cared who took what. He was only a representative for the Uchiha clan. A glorified rice counter. Ever since his arrival at the palace that's all he did.

That fact filled him with resentment.

His mother preferred it this way. He could be off fighting with Itachi but instead he was cloistered off in the District and his training limited. It was beyond frustrating to watch Shisui and Itachi train but know that he would never be able to reach their skills with a sword. His father acquiesced to his mother's request for him to stay home…not that he would have called him to the front lines anyway. He was just a spare. The last hope of the Uchiha clan should either the great Commander or his prodigious heir was to die in battle.

Sasuke snorted as he allowed Naruto to drag him through the palace halls, uncaring of where they went because it didn't matter.

Nothing ever did.

"Naruto-kun! Naruto-kun where are you my darling?" a shrill voice shrieked from an adjacent hall.

"Shit." The blonde cursed under his breath and started dragging Sasuke even faster down the hall.

"Stop pulling me you idiot!"

Naruto glared at him over his shoulder but didn't slow down his pace.

"Who the hell are we running from?" Sasuke asked as they turned a random corner, dodging shocked palace staff along the way.

"I can't let her see me!"

"Who?" Sasuke hissed, finally managing to yank his arm away and effectively ceasing their mad dash.

Naruto turned quickly on his heel, looking around frantically as if he were prey that had just been cornered.

"My intended is here." He said with a shiver and Sasuke smirked at his companion's discomfort. Naruto glared at him and put his hands on his hips in response. "If she sees me I won't get a moment of peace for the rest of the day so let's go!"

"Who am I to deny the future empress an audience with her beloved?"

"Sasuke if you get me caught I will personally tell Karin about where the servant's door is to the Uchiha property."

Sasuke narrowed his eyes but grabbed the blonde's upper arm and dragged him down a random hall. The _last_ thing he wanted to do was even breathe the same air as Naruto's annoying cousin. He'd rather sit next to his brother's intended than be anywhere near that demon.

Itachi might be on the front lines right now but he had his own battles to contend with.

… **...**

 **The Twenty-third Winter of the Karasu**

 **Borderlands of the Cloud Nation**

… **..**

Blood and smoke and the cries of men.

The slaughter of unsuspecting people came to him all too easily. The edge of his katana found the weak points of his opponents armor, slicing through their vital spots as if they'd never worn protection in the first place. Men kneeled before him on top of the bodies of the fallen, begging for mercy. Pleading for their lives. What they didn't realize was that mercy was not a gift he had to give. His gift to them was death. Quick and clean. It was the most that he could offer them. In return, he would receive their fielty to the emperor.

The scene before him was one he'd experienced repeatedly since he reached an age acceptable to hold a blade. His mother was horrified to discover that he took to such devastating tools as if they were mere extensions of his own body. His father was ecstatic…

… _.The thunder and lightening of the summer storm shook the shoji doors of the Shiro, echoing the noise from inside the home._

" _He's too young!"_

" _The sooner he learns his duty the better."_

 _The seven-year-old frowned, crouched just on the other side of the door from where his parents' conversed. Today was supposed to be a good day. He'd just gotten his very own katana like his cousin Shisui. His father promised to teach him how to use it like the warriors in the tapestries that decorated their home. He'd shown the blade to his mother and Sasuke but she was not happy to see it. He didn't understand why she'd taken Sasuke to his room. He didn't understand why she'd taken the blade away from him. However, the horrified look on her face was enough to tell him that he'd done something very very wrong. How could he be wrong though when everyone else praised him?_

" _It doesn't have to be this way." Mikoto pleaded, her muffled voice cracking with desperation as she spoke. "Please just wait two or three years. He's too young."_

" _And you are too soft."_

" _I won't let you take him!"_

" _Who are you to make demands of me woman?"_

" _I am your wife!"_

 _There was a bit of muffled tussling. Something heavy hit the floor. Itachi covered his ears with his hands but he could still hear them yelling._

" _I have allowed you too much freedom. You have forgotten your place."_

" _My place is to care for my sons. You will just make Itachi into a monster. Will Sasuke be next?!"_

 _A monster? Was he a monster?_

 _A loud smack reverberated from the room. Porcelain shattered against the hardwood before the shoji door rattled open. His mother tried to rush out of the room, a pale hand clutching the right side of her face. Her dark hair fell around her shoulders and the maroon kimono she wore was tugged askew to reveal the white silk of the yukata she had underneath. She moved to leave but her dark eyes caught his own and widened at the sight of him._

 _Itachi tried to reach out to her. To apologize for showing her his katana. To say that he wouldn't be the monster she feared he would be. He wanted that scared look on her face to go away and she would hug him and kiss him like she always did. Yet the scarred hand of his father pulled her back into the room and all of his words died in his throat. Pressing his back against the wall by the open door, Itachi held his breath until the grunting started. Down the hall not far from the tea room, the faint cries of his brother could be heard through the constant barrage of rain. Sasuke's room wasn't far from the tea room but he doubted that their parents would hear his wails._

 _As quietly as he could, Itachi peeled himself away from the wall and made his way towards the cries. It took only a few moments for him to reach his brother's room and once there he found the two-year-old hiding underneath his blankets. Itachi approached his little brother carefully, unsure as to why he was crying. If he needed to be changed, he'd seen the nursemaids perform the duty numerous times. He could imitate them if it was necessary. If he was hungry it wouldn't be that difficult to sneak something from the kitchens._

 _Another sharp crack of thunder blasted from outside and bright blue lightning lit up the room which caused the boy to cry louder. Concerned, Itachi pulled the thin blanket off of Sasuke's head and blinked at his red-faced sibling. Fat tears streamed down his ruddy cheeks as his cries got louder from being uncovered and his little fists were balled up in frustration._

" _Sasuke. Sasuke stop crying." Itachi whispered and at the sound of his voice, Sasuke's cries died down to a whimper but his lower lip still trembled._

" _Aniki!"_

 _Big black eyes stared back at him with unshed tears still clinging to his lashes. Despite the tears, Sasuke smiled up at him. A big, sad grin that found comfort and safety just at the sight of him. The way Sasuke looked at him hadn't changed from that afternoon. Itachi sniffed, rubbing his own eyes with the back of his hands as lightning lit up the room and Sasuke crawled over to him. Chubby fingers reached for the front of his yukata and the tight feeling in his chest eased a bit._

" _Itachi-kun?" a voice called from the nursery doorway._

 _The boy in question turned towards the door to see his older cousin yawning, halfway between consciousness and sleep._

" _What are you doing up?" Shisui asked as he entered the room. "You should be in bed- wait. Have…have you been crying?"_

 _Itachi shook his head but he knew that his face said otherwise._

" _Did the storm wake you up?"_

 _Shisui crossed the room quickly and tried to take Sasuke from his arms but the fussy boy was not having it. As soon as Shisui touched his shoulder, the tears that had partially dried up started all over again._

" _Oi! Sasu-bo! Don't cry! Kami, why are both of you crying?!"_

 _Shisui tried to lay Sasuke down on his futon but that only served to make his cries louder and his face even redder. Itachi frowned at his cousin's futile attempts and opened up his arms for Sasuke to return to him. At the invitation, Sasuke wriggled away from Shisui and threw himself into his elder's chest. When the thunder rolled through again, he whimpered but not too much._

 _"Well, I'll be damned." Shisui said with a yawn. "Let's go to your room Itachi-kun. If the Commander finds you out of bed I'll never hear the end of it."_

 _Itachi allowed Shisui to take his hand to lead him and Sasuke down the dark hallway of their home. He noted how rough his cousin's hand felt in his own. Calloused and scarred from years of training. Did his father's hands feel this rough? Would his hands feel this way one day? If his hands became like that would it mean he was a monster? Itachi paused in his walk and Shisui looked back at him curiously._

" _Itachi-kun?"_

" _Shisui…are we monsters?"_

 _The calloused hand that held his own released him before coming up to pat the top of his head. Though it was dark there was still enough light from the windows for Itachi to make out the ever-present smile on his cousin's face._

" _We do what we must."…._

…Itachi pressed his lips together in a tight line as observed the way the blood of his foes had mingled together on his blade and dripped down to the ground. His mother hadn't been wrong. His father did create a monster. At the sound of a desperate battle cry, Itachi whirled around and sliced the man clean through his neck with his sword. Blood gushed out of the fatal wound and added to the already soaked soil.

 _Prepare yourself, my son._

There was no need for his father's words. He was always on edge, always prepared to fight. At any moment he could be facing his last battle but that was something Itachi knew to be a lie. There was no such thing as a _last battle._ There was always more land to capture. More people to tame. For Uchiha things never ended. As long as their services were needed they would keep fighting. He was not allowed to die.

Over the cries of men dying from their wounds, the drums of victory beat loudly to announce the other side's forfeiture. Soon everyone would know that their leader was weak. They would be folded into the emperor's crown and the world would once again be reminded of their strength. Itachi stepped over his fallen foes, flicking their excess blood off of his sword before resheathing it. The battle was over for now but like all things, it would begin again. On different soil. With different opponents. And the outcome would still be the same.

The sky above was a bright blue free from any clouds and the way the sun shone was a sharp contrast to the ankle-deep refuse Itachi found himself surrounded by. A few feet away from him, Shisui pulled his katana out of a fallen man's chest with a grunt. He moved on from that man to another, stabbing him in his chest and quickly pulling his sword out. Fanned out through the carnage were others performing the same duty as Shisui, ensuring that not a soul remained alive. There was honor in dying on the battlefield and no worse fate than succumbing to festering wounds in the sun. The only mercy they could show was allowing their foes to die a quick death. Itachi scanned the bodies and his scowl deepened. These men were not his enemies. They merely had the misfortune of crossing his path.

In the distance, the drums of victory boomed over the groans of the dying. A proud line of dark horses stood side by side in full regalia with the banners of the Hyuuga, Nara, Akimichi, and Aburame fluttering proudly. He couldn't see him but Itachi knew that his father was in the middle of them, the real victor and strategist of this endeavor. A single battered horse and rider approached the line of his father's men bearing a white flag. Shisui halted his duty to watch the messenger, wiping the sweat from his brow with the back of a bloodstained hand.

"It's done." He said flatly.

Itachi remained silent. It was never done. There was always another land to conquer, more resources to take in the name of the emperor.

For Uchiha, it was never over.

…

 **The Twentieth Fall of the Taka**

 **Imperial Palace- Jade Tea Room**

… **..**

The Imperial Palace was known for its excesses. Whether it was the dead of Winter or a Summer or drought there was always more than enough on the Emperor's table and in his Daimyo's coffers. Sasuke sighed as he brought a cold porcelain saucer to his lips and emptied it of its contents in one go. It was his duty as a representative of the Uchiha to present himself to the Emperor, swearing his fealty every two years on behalf of his father. The journey was easy and a distraction from the monotony of the District but existing within the Emperor's direct reach was stifling.

"More sake Uchiha-san?" a flirty voice asked from his side.

The Uchiha glanced briefly at the woman that dared to address him directly. Red lips poked out in a way she thought was enticing, black hair intertwined with heavy gold baubles. Her bright yellow kimono contrasted greatly with her pale skin, small wrists twisting with a trained grace as she poured him more sake without his confirmation or denial. To his other side, a woman dressed in a similar manner brushed imaginary dirt from his monsuke.

"Your meetings must have been so difficult today Uchiha-san." She said, her slender fingers traced the embroidered crest on his chest. "There's so much to be accounted for."

The woman who poured his sake nodded her head thoughtfully and offered him the cup.

"One man can't keep track of everything. You should take time to relax."

"When the spring comes it will be easier ne? That's a time that most men are able to get their affairs in order."

"The scholars say that this upcoming spring will bring great fortune, especially in familial affairs."

Sasuke said nothing to add to their pointed conversation, instead choosing to rise from his cushion silently to head for the door. He did take the bottle of sake with him though, it was a waste to leave it with those two. Of course, he was well aware that he was leaving behind two very disgruntled women. They'd tell their chaperones and those men would likely try to have a word with him after a long string of meetings tomorrow. He didn't really care what they said. He'd been able to avoid their advances since the day he became eligible to marry their petty family members. He was in no rush to tie himself down now…not that he could even if he wanted to.

The youngest Uchiha exited the private sitting room to find himself in the ornate hall of the imperial palace. Guards in heavy armor bowed as he passed, and servant women skirted out of his way lest he were to take an interest in them. He wouldn't of course but he understood their trepidation. A drunk nobleman was not someone they should cross paths with.

Sasuke grunted as other noblemen, some with women on their arms and others alone, bowed to him. Their bows were deeper than usual, their eyes more calculating even though they were averted. It was annoying and now he had an even bigger target on his back with the Emperor's victory over the Cloud Nation. Or he should really say _the Commander's_ victory…

It didn't take long for him to reach the main courtyard of the palace, the night air warm and humid from the day's rain. Young noblemen blew up imported fireworks that had been sent with one of many caravans from the front line of their conquest. The red sparks caused women to gasp in awe and children that were up way past their bedtimes to squeal with each explosion. The happiness was of the Emperor's people was palpable. Victory. Prosperity. Distractions…the shogunate was good as distracting them all from the poverty just beyond the palace's walls.

"Uchiha-san…a pleasure to see you." A grave voice called from behind him as soon as he stepped down from the stone pavilion.

Sasuke turned around to find the man that had been preoccupying his thoughts staring down at him with beady black eyes. Calculating and serious. He was positive that Danzo had never cracked a smile on that wrinkled face of his. It was a sharp contrast to the ever smiling face of the Emperor. Two sides of the same coin, Danzo was the power and force of their nation. Minato was their pride and happiness…a figurehead that could only turn when the neck told it to. Plain black robes followed the shogunate as he descended to the step Sasuke stood on and although he was shorter than the young man his presence was greater.

"The sky explosions are a marvel aren't they." He said through his eyes weren't turned to the sky.

The Uchiha wanted to correct his terminology. Itachi had always called them _firecrackers_. As someone that had aided in the retrieval of such a commodity at just fifteen years old, Itachi would know what they were called better than Danzo who stayed cloistered behind high walls. But of course, correcting the shogunate was something one only did if they wanted to lose their tongue. He wasn't drunk enough to do that yet. Close but not quite.

"It is said that your brother fought quite valiantly in battle. The Uchiha have always been said to be formidable but I must say that I'm impressed with accounts from my men. I expect to see him and your father on your next visit here yes? I should express my gratitude and honor them in person."

"You do them a great honor," Sasuke replied through a tightened jaw, his fingers curling around the neck of his sake bottle.

His practiced words didn't placate the Shogunate. Instead, he tucked his right hand into the sleeve of his dark kimono and pulled out a scroll sealed with the wax of his crest.

"Be sure that the Commander gets this Uchiha-san."

Sasuke eyed the offering but took it quickly before he rose suspicion from the powerful man. Once divested of the scroll, Danzo slowly made his way down the pavilion steps where at the landing he was swarmed with noblemen wishing to raise their status. Sasuke looked down at the scroll in his hands and frowned. It felt dirty, like the blood of innocence already marked for death. He didn't have to read the scroll to know its contents. So soon after the conquering of one nation, another was bound to fall. No matter how much gold was sent. The silks, the spices, the power. None of it was ever going to be enough. For the Uchiha, it was never going to be over.

Clutching the scroll tightly, Sasuke made his way down the stairs of the pavilion to the gates of the main courtyard. From the main courtyard was the outer ring and from there he left the Imperial Palace. The Uchiha property was but a short walk from the outer walls. It was a silent journey but a welcome reprieve from the stifling environment of the palace. At this point, he would almost take being back in the District…almost….

….. _"Sasuke-kun!"_

 _The youngest Uchiha paused mid sharpening to look up. The home was usually quiet unless his mother was hellbent on keeping up a fuss. That only happened when they were entertaining others and no one had come for a visit in nearly a year. Whatever she wanted couldn't be that important. Shrugging, Sasuke went back to sharpening one of the many kunai that littered the training room floor._

" _Sasuke-kun!"_

 _His mother's footsteps retreated down the hall as well as her voice. He wasn't left alone for long though before the sound of smaller footsteps returned. The dojo door slid open slowly and Sasuke frowned at the intruder but didn't acknowledge their presence. It wasn't until two small feet came into his view that he stopped sharpening the weapon in his hand._

 _Hinata stood shyly in front of him, small fingers clutching the edges of her navy-blue sleeves. Pale eyes stayed focused on her feet as though they were the most interesting thing in the room. Sasuke frowned as he looked her up and down. There was something…off about her. Rising to his feet, he towered over her petite frame and she stiffened but did not look up at him. Her head was bowed slightly, exposing her pale neck and Sasuke's eyes narrowed. Instead of her long dark hair tied back in its usual braid it had been cut. Now the locks barely went past her chin._

" _Your hair." Sasuke said and a small hand immediately went up to self-consciously fiddle with the strands. "You cut it."_

" _Yes…" she replied softly._

 _Without intending to, his own hand reached out and pushed away her nervous one. He then slid his fingers through the short locks that had once cascaded down her back. Her hair was softer than it looked…silkier than he imagined._

' _Still,' Sasuke thought as he continued to run his hand through her hair. 'I prefer her hair long.'_

" _The elders…they say it will bring good fortune in battle."_

" _Hn."_

 _Of course, that's why she cut her hair. They hadn't heard from Itachi in over seven months. The continuous shipments of goods to the District was a good indicator that he was alive but it wasn't the same as a letter. His prolonged absence didn't bother Sasuke so much anymore. He was used to his brother being gone and reappearing as quickly as the trees changed from pink to green to orange. Hinata, on the other hand, was not. Sasuke retracted his hand and the girl took a step away from him out of fear that he might try to touch her hair again. His fingers twitched involuntarily at the move but he kept his hands at his side. He could see that the back of her neck exposed to him had shifted from pale to pink. Slowly she lifted her head and it seemed to take all of her courage to look him in the eyes as she spoke._

" _Uchiha-san…Mikoto-san requests your presence…before your journey to the palace."_

 _She didn't even stutter._

 _His mother was doing an excellent job with her training. Could she handle being the Uchiha matriarch one day? Everything about her looked too fragile. Her voice was too soft. Her eyes too fearful. Her body too small to give birth to sons. Swallowing thickly, Sasuke moved past the delicate Hyuuga before his thoughts trailed further than they should…_

… _._ He took a long swing of his sake as he walked slowly down dark, winding streets. The sake didn't even burn his chest anymore but the uncomfortable weight he held didn't subside. Whenever his thoughts wandered to his home, images of the shy Hyuuga tainted the memories. As much as he wished to be home it was best that he remain here entertaining stupid noblemen and their frivolous female relatives. There were distractions here.

As he approached the gates to the Uchiha property, Sasuke let out a low breath through his nose and gave the guards a curt nod. The capital city was a safe place and but it was always better to be prepared. Only someone insane would dare to intrude upon the sharpest blade in the Emperor's army. The two expressionless guards bowed deeply to him and opened the double doors to what was supposed to be his home away from home.

Sasuke took another long drink from his sake bottle as he walked through the small greeting courtyard until it was empty. Once through the courtyard, he entered a more modest version of the Uchiha Shiro where Izumi was already waiting to greet him. Her dark brown hair was pulled back into a tight bun that rested on the nap of her neck. Her plain black kimono was free from any wrinkles and though there was a smile on her face she still looked tired. How long had she been waiting here?

"Uchiha-san." She said. "Welcome back."

"You have been standing here all night?"

Izumi didn't answer but they both knew that she had. Gently, she removed his now almost empty sake bottle from his grasp and took a step away from him.

"Are you hungry? The chef is still awake." Izumi said and Sasuke shook his head, continuing onward into the house.

Izumi didn't follow, she had grown accustomed to him while he attended his palace duties. Instead, she went to dispose of the sake he'd brought into the home and likely wouldn't speak to him again till morning. As the head servant of the house, she ran a tight ship and he hardly ever had to ask her for anything. Somehow, she always just knew what he needed and didn't impose her presence on him for longer than necessary. Perhaps that intuitiveness and sense of duty had drawn Itachi to her in the first place. Perhaps she thought he would send a good word to his brother about her…maybe she hoped that he would visit.

He wouldn't though. Their father never visited the palace. His place was on the battlefield. That was where Itachi was meant to be as well and he…he would piddle his time away in copious amounts of sake and the company of people he barely cared about.

…..

 **The Twenty-third Fall of the Karasu**

 **Outskirts of the Cloud Nation Capital**

… **..**

The reasons _why_ the Emperor and his shogunate chose to invade the Cloud nation meant little to Itachi. He did not care for the politics of it all. All that mattered was success and the means by which that was accomplished mattered very little. A truce was a clean way to end the decimation of a people. An agreement forged from blood and ink between two opposing sides. They were meant to come together as equals although one side had been cowed into submission. Their will to fight squashed beneath the might and honor of the Uchiha.

Equals…the term tasted sour on his tongue.

Itachi pressed his lips together in a tight line, his right hand resting lightly on the hilt of his katana. Before him, his father pressed his bloodied thumb against the peace treaty in the name of the Emperor and the shogunate. Victory for their people. Once his father's print was on the scroll, the parchment was carefully taken away by a young scribe to be preserved. Another attendant came with a cloth to wipe away the blood.

His father's tent was the only one large enough to accommodate the intimate meeting of the two sides and keep out the early winter wind. On one end of the table sat the four surviving leaders of the foreign army, their men stiff and haggard throughout the drafting of the treaty. Dark skin wore the tarnished armor of silver and blue and the stink of defeat.

On the other side were their allied clans from Konoha. Their men were well seasoned by war unlike their opponents and their expressions almost bordered on disinterested with the day's affairs. They'd seen too many of these battles won, too many of these treaties signed. They themselves had been conquered by Uchiha forces at some time or another, the lands of others being added to the Emperor's purview meant nothing to them.

However, this was new for the Cloud forces. They had every right to be wary of foreign invaders that plundered their land on what was seemingly a whim. Itachi watched closely as the head general from the opposing side rose from his seat and strode the short distance to his father.

"I believe that this will be the start of a prosperous relationship between us both." The foreign general said as he held out a tanned wrinkled hand for Fugaku to shake.

His father smirked and accepted the hand freely.

"Indeed."

It was brief. He would have missed the motion entirely if his eyes had not been following the general closely. The tiny click of a blade being removed, the momentary glint of gold peeking out from the tanned hand. As naturally as if he were breathing, the lazy hand he had around the hilt of his katana tightened and Itachi unsheathed it quicker than anyone else in the tent could draw theirs. The enemy general paused just long enough for Itachi to take two steps from behind his father and point the tip of his blade at the older man's throat. Wisened blue eyes narrowed at him but Itachi paid no heed to his expression. Instead, he focused on the small golden dagger mere inches away from his father's chest.

"Were you planning a last-ditch effort Yuroichi?" Fugaku smirked, unphased by the blade so close to his heart. The man that intended to kill him kept his eyes on Itachi's blade as his lips pulled back into a snarl.

"We will not submit to your kind! The citizens of the Cloud will not be dragged into poverty and subservience like the rest of you conquered swine!"

"Swine you say?" Fugaku said before scanning his eyes around the room.

The Commander's dark gaze met every man's for longer than they were comfortable with. Even their allegiant clans stood up straighter with their hands on their weapons.

"We are swine. You will not submit to the likes of those less than you. Am I hearing you correctly?"

The enemy general growled and spat in the face of the Commander. Calmly, his father wiped the vile, physical insult from his cheek. The Cloud general laughed, the golden dagger in his hand scrapping the chest plate of his father's armor.

"You may kill me but once my people hear of my death your blood will run thick through the streets and your names will be erased from the records of history. The mighty Uchiha swine will die, your honor forgotten."

Itachi tightened his grip on his katana but his father remained unfazed. Instead, he looked into the eyes of the four remaining generals who quaked beside each other in fear.

"Do the rest of you agree with his sentiment?" the Commander asked calmly.

The four generals shook their heads vigorously. Not a soul was willing to stand behind their leader's words. Fugaku frowned and snapped his fingers. The front flap of the tent opened and four Uchiha soldiers entered the area to stand behind the generals with their blades drawn. It took only a nod of the Commander's head before each throat was slit. Blood poured freely from the cut arteries, their mouths agape in shock.

The enemy general's hand shook at the betrayal of his most trusted men and the sickening gurgling of them drowning in their own essence. Itachi withdrew his katana from the general's throat and took a step back. There was no danger from a man so utterly broken. He watched unflinchingly as his father grabbed the weapon meant to end his life blade first and yanked it away from the general. His own blood spilled onto the metal but it was a mere flesh wound and of no concern to the Commander.

"Your own men don't stand with you." Fugaku sneered before turning the golden dagger around to the general's throat. "Cowards are worse than swine."

The general didn't even cry out when the steel of his own dagger sliced cleanly through his throat.

 _ **To be continued….**_

 _Spring is passing._

 _The birds cry, and the fishes fill_

 _With tears on their eyes._

 _ **(Basho)**_


	6. Chapter 6

**CCNote: This was **_**supposed**_ **to come out yesterday but as you know, life happens. I'll be able to get back into my frequent updates soon. In the meantime, while you for this to be updated go check out some of my other completed fics! ANYWAY! Please enjoy and don't forget to leave a REVIEW!**

 **A Tale of Two Sisters**

 _Spring is passing._

 _The birds cry, and the fishes fill_

 _With tears on their eyes._

 _ **(Basho)**_

 _ **The Fifteenth Spring of the Suzume**_

 _ **Hyuuga Compound- Inner Ring**_

 _ **...**_

Hanabi held her breath, praying all the while that her pursuers didn't discover her position. Her heart beat loudly in her chest at the faint sound of flustered voices down the hall.

"Have you seen Hanabi-sama?"

"You lost her _again_?"

"Please don't start, just help me look!"

The missing girl in question pressed a hand over her mouth and tried not to laugh. She was getting good at escaping Ko. It wasn't that she didn't _like_ her tutor and protector. No, she loved him very much. Almost as much as her cousin and sister. However, with Ko came scrolls and ink and a voice that could drone on endlessly for hours. There was only so much she could take before her eyes would glaze over and the itch to move had her foot tapping.

The sound of Ko fussing with another branch member faded down the hall and Hanabi removed her hand from her mouth. This was getting to be too easy. She slid out from behind the heavy tapestry that had been her hiding place and stretched her arms up with an unladylike groan. Perhaps she would try getting out through the branch member gate tonight. It was a bit more difficult to slip past everyone in the inner gate but a servant's uniform and a blank stare allowed her to blend in well enough when the guards were tired. Once out of the inner ring she could easily make her way to the outer ring where all of the branch members lived.

There she didn't have to hide her face too much since they didn't know what she looked like anyway. She had her generic pale eyes and an overprotective father to thank for that. Hinata would have been recognized immediately if she'd ever tried to escape. She'd seen the scrolls of their mother's likeness, a woman she'd never gotten a chance to meet, and the resemblance between her and her elder sister was uncanny. If anyone would have seen her outside of the inner ring they would have believed they'd seen a ghost of the beloved Hyuuga matriarch. She, on the other hand, bore more of a resemblance to her father. Strictly Hyuugaesque features that so many of her clansmen possessed. It wasn't that hard for her to blend in.

The teen sighed and smoothed out the wrinkles on her kimono. Now that she'd sent Ko on a wild 'Hanabi Hunt', she needed to find something else to occupy her time. Perhaps a visit to the weaponry was in order. Tenten, the daughter of their weapon's master, never ratted her out when she came for a visit. Her family was one of the few outsiders allowed on the Hyuuga compound. Her clan was a proud one but try as they might, they couldn't replicate the quality of her father's blades. If she was going to visit Tenten she'd better find a gift to give to her father so he'd look the other way as well.

 _'I think the chef won't notice some rice missing'_ Hanabi mused.

If she grabbed it just after dinner they would be too busy cleaning to check the stores. Hanabi glanced out the room's window and noted how low the sun was in the sky, it wouldn't be long before she was called to sit through yet another boring meal. The Hyuuga groaned and flopped down onto the tatami in an undignified manner. Even though she'd escaped she now had nothing to do with her newfound freedom. Maybe she should have stayed and focused on her lessons…nah. She'd rather be bored alone than do it with a brush in her hand.

"After you Hyuuga-sama." A muffled voice called through the shoji door of the room.

Hanabi immediately sat up at the sound of the voice which caused a panic to rise in the back of her throat. If her father caught her shirking off her duties she was certain to get a lashing…again. Quickly she slipped back to her previous hiding place, grateful that the tapestry was long enough to cover her feet. Just as she tucked her elbows into her sides, the shoji door opened and what sounded like several people shuffled in.

There were elderly grunts and grumbles between the men as they settled around the low tea table. Her father's voice was low amongst their murmurings as he directed a branch member to fetch some tea. As he spoke, Hanabi placed a hand over her mouth and nose lest they hear her breathing.

"Let us begin." Her father said as soon as the shoji door shut for a second time.

The room fell silent save for the loud beating of her own heart in her chest. It was surprising that none of them had heard it yet.

"I believe that we are all in agreement that my brother's child will be capable of taking my place when that day comes."

"We should begin grooming him when the new year passes."

"Hizashi would have been proud…rest his soul."

The room fell silent for a moment out of respect for their fallen clansman. Hanabi pressed her lips together behind her hand and scrunched her brows together. Maybe they would say more about the untimely passing of her father's twin brother, yet another soul she never got a chance to meet, but alas she had no such luck. The silence led way to more beyond dull discussions of clan affairs. Births and deaths of people she would never see. The state of their finances. The state of their food stores. Hanabi would have fallen asleep where she stood if it hadn't been for the mention of her falling from her father's lips.

"As you know my youngest will be in her sixteenth year soon. We need to make preparations for her future." He said and there were irritated grumblings from the gathered elders.

"That is a little difficult to do when every suitor that visits is met with a ghost."

Hanabi rolled her eyes. It wasn't her fault she just so happened to be 'sick' every time a rich man came by seeking her hand. They were just fishing around for a tie to a powerful clan. They didn't care about who she was or what she liked. She was just a good catch.

 _Be wary of the fisherman's nets_

She was cautious. Her sister's warning had not gone unheeded. She wanted freedom from the inner ring more than anything but it would come by her own terms. She did not want to leave until her sister sent for her. The Uchiha District sounded wonderful based on her sister's letters. She even had the freedom to head into what she called a 'city' whenever she wanted to but she rarely did. Her mother in law was very nice and though she didn't know her intended well, Itachi sounded nice too. There was another Uchiha boy but Hinata didn't write about him more than just in passing. Instead, she wrote about the weapons and the trees and the colorful people that lived in the District.

 _That_ was where she wanted to go. Hinata would send for her. She'd promised and Hinata never broke her promises. She just had to do her part and stay as far away from curious fishermen as possible. All it took was a bit of fake bile and the complaints of cramps to have her isolated for a week. Mentally she started to prepare the materials she needed but the elder's falling silent once more caused her ears to prick up.

"There will no longer be a need to entertain outside suitors for Hanabi."

No outside suitor? Huh? Did this mean that their attempts on tying her to a stranger would cease?

"I do not mean to question your judgment Hiashi-sama but Hanabi is approaching marriageable age quickly. We were fortunate that the Uchiha were in need of a bride when Hinata-san was young. If we wait too long, Hanabi will be too old."

 _'Too old?_ ' Hanabi thought as she bit back a snort. She was only turning sixteen not twenty-six! _'If no man wishes to marry me all the better!'_

"We understand your hesitance but we should have arranged for a marriage when Hanabi was born."

"She has her health and her youth. We should try to arrange something."

"She is too willful as she is right now. What clan would take her in? We can't hope to make an advantageous match."

"Silence." Her father said calmly though behind the curtain Hanabi was seething.

Willful? What was so wrong with that? At least she wasn't mindless. Is that how they wished her to be? Tough luck.

"Hanabi will not leave the compound-" her father started and the elders burst into protest.

"Hiashi-sama you cannot be serious?!"

"Do you know what a loss this will be?"

"Please rethink your decision."

Hanabi herself couldn't understand her father's reasoning. Why would he keep her here? Through the fault of her gender, she could not be sent off to serve in the emperor's court to gain influence- not unless she became apart of a harem and they had too much pride to do that.

She couldn't travel to study with scholars and philosophers as many second and third sons did. She couldn't sail the seas opening new trade routes and returning with exotic goods. She couldn't even stake it out on her own and make a life for herself without the danger of becoming some feudal lord's slave.

No one in their right mind would sell her land even if she managed to find the money to buy it. If she _did_ get land she had no idea how to build a house or farm or raise livestock and it would only be a matter of time before her home was ransacked by men that knew she was alone. She was nothing more than a burden only good for bearing sons…

"My decision on this matter is final."

"Hiashi-sama please reconsider-"

"This is not wise-"

"My son." The oldest and wisest among the gathering began.

Hanabi was immediately drawn out of her own thoughts by the voice. Her grandfather _never_ spoke.

" You knew this day would come. Hanabi was the last gift Hikari gave to you. I understand your wish to keep her close. However, you do not have the luxury of that option."

Her heart slowed to a crawl as the room fell silent at the memory of the late Hyuuga matriarch. The mention of her mother was even rarer than her grandfather speaking. She strained her ears as the silence stretched on for longer than she expected but was only met with the sound of the room's sliding door being opened.

When the door closed again the room erupted into outrage and she was left to listen to her worth being bartered between men.

 **...**

 _ **The Twentieth Spring of the Hato**_

 _ **Uchiha District- Shiro**_

 _ **...**_

Was it possible to die from anticipation?

With the way her heart was incessantly hammering in her chest it seemed like a plausible outcome. Hinata closed her eyes and took a deep breath, her mother's opal pendant clutched tightly in her palm. She could do this. For three years she'd been learning, growing, waiting. Today wasn't even her wedding day so she shouldn't even be as nervous as she was. Still, today was just as important.

"Knock, knock."

Hinata opened her eyes to see her soon to be mother-in-law standing in the doorway with her arms crossed and a proud smile on her face. The Uchiha matriarch was just as beautiful as the first day she arrived in the Uchiha District. It was hard for Hinata to even decipher her age since there wasn't a wrinkle to mar her pale skin.

"Hinata-chan, are you ready?" Mikoto asked as she gracefully entered her bedroom.

She took a seat next to Hinata on the floor in front of her vanity mirror. Hinata stared at the woman's smiling reflection. How could she ever compare to her? The staff admired her immensely and the people of the District spoke of her reverently. Mikoto could have been like other powerful matriarchs, keeping all of the riches of their family to themselves and taxing their people to amass more. She had more freedom than any other woman in her station but she made sure that the people under her were well cared for.

The people in the Uchiha District didn't want for much and their loyalty was infallible from the streets of their territory to the battlefield where they laid down their lives. How was she going to take on this responsibility? Just as her throat began to tighten at the magnanimity of her situation, Mikoto's slender fingers made sure that the there was not a hair out of place on her head.

"You look beautiful Hinata-chan." She said, cupping her chin and turning her face to scrutinize her made-up face. "You seem nervous though."

"I am." Hinata replied honestly.

Mikoto didn't admonish her. Instead, her hand left her chin to smooth out any creases in the dark blue kimono she wore. The embroidery of silver leaves was immaculate and the light blue obi around her waist was tied just tight enough that she could barely breathe. The rigid structure of her kimono kept her back straight and forced all of her movements to be small but it gave her the air of a girl that looked like the next Uchiha matriarch. On the inside, she felt like anything but.

"I remember being nervous. It's natural I suppose." Mikoto sighed wistfully. "However, the day I met Fugaku was not as extravagant as all this. He's become quite the showman as the years have gone on."

Hinata turned away from their reflection to look directly at the older woman. She hardly ever spoke of the leader of the Uchiha clan but she'd heard plenty about him through the tales of war that made it back to the District. The tales of his conquests and the riches that followed had flowed freely through the years that he and Itachi had been away.

When the news of their victory came, it brought with it a missive to begin preparing for a celebration. There was a lot to be proud of but it all would culminate in her wedding to Itachi. After years of waiting and preparing it would finally happen. She would finally meet the man that wrote to her. His letters were rare and cordial but they made her feel warm. Special. Just thinking about it made her heart feel as if it would jump out of her chest. Mikoto smiled at her knowingly and gently cupped her cheeks with both hands.

"When Itachi returns he may be a bit changed. War is hard on a man. Itachi is my son though. He will be good to you and if he isn't, there is no warrior more fierce than an angry mother."

Mikoto looked sincere in her declaration, Hinata couldn't help but believe her. She opened her mouth to reply but the shoji door to her room slid open to reveal an Uchiha she was less than excited to see again. Sasuke's dark eyes didn't even land on her as he entered the room. Instead, he only addressed his mother and acted as if she didn't exist.

"The elders are ready to begin the procession." He said and Mikoto let out a small sigh.

"They are always in a rush. We haven't even heard their drums yet." She grumbled as she stood up and waved for Hinata to follow. "There is something I need to take care of first. Sasuke you can assist Hinata from here yes?"

Hinata's eyes widened at the prospect of being by Sasuke's side for an indeterminate amount of time while he finally turned to her. They narrowed as he looked her up and down but eventually, he gave a curt nod of acceptance. It wasn't like he could ignore his mother's request on such an important day anyway. Reluctantly she crossed the room with Mikoto at her side. The Uchiha matriarch beamed at them both although her smile faltered when she noticed the unenthused expressions of Sasuke and Hinata.

"It's a happy day today. Try not to look like you're going to a funeral."

With that, she kissed both of their cheeks and took her leave of the room. Once alone, Hinata nervously shifted from her right foot to her left as she racked her brain for something to say. She'd been with Mikoto long enough to feel comfortable in the presence of most people but there was something about Sasuke that made all of her words die on her tongue. Well…all words that were civil. In the past the only things she'd been able to say put them further and further away from having a cordial relationship with one another. His rather harsh attitude didn't help matters either….

….. _Hinata sighed as she sank down into the grass near the koi pond and admired the sunset reflecting off of its cold water. The fish that normally swam within its depths had been removed at the end of fall to be moved to a more amiable climate and she missed them greatly. The last grips of winter still clung tightly to the District but soon…soon they would return. Spring was right around the corner._

 _Guiltily she looked to her left and her right to ensure that no one was near in the courtyard. It wasn't often that people traveled to this part of the Shiro so she was safe but it would still be embarrassing for anyone to happen upon her. Satisfied that she had the privacy she required, she lifted the multiple layers of her kimono up to her knees and slipped her feet into the pond. The water was frigid and stung sharply against her skin but she didn't remove herself._

 _Instead, she gritted her teeth and steeled herself for as long as she could_. _Hanabi said that she'd lasted an entire ten minutes in the Hyuuga koi pond. She might not be able to beat her sister's time but she could at least match it. The cold water lapped up to her knees as she moved about the pond in an attempt to ignore the pain._

' _The things I do for that girl.' Hinata cursed mentally. Hanabi was going to get a strongly worded letter about wading in koi ponds later!_

" _What are you doing?"_

 _Hinata tensed, her pain forgotten, and looked up to find Uchiha Sasuke staring back at her._

" _Uchiha-san I-"_

" _Am in the middle of a freezing koi pond. Why?"_

 _She blushed at his inquiry. How was she supposed to explain a dare from her sister? He'd probably say she was an-_

" _Idiot."_

 _Hinata felt her upper lip curl in distaste at his bluntness, a sight unbecoming of a lady but she couldn't help it. Her fingers curled tightly around the bunched silk of her kimono. Sasuke seemed to find amusement in her discomfort as he approached the edge of the water. Smirking, he crouched down and tested the water with his fingers. He scoffed at the frigidity and flicked the droplets from his fingers._

" _You really must be stupid. What business do you have wading in a pond?"_

" _My business is my own Uchiha-san." She said curtly._

" _Hn." He scoffed but didn't rise from his crouch. "I don't really care what you do."_

" _Then please go away."_

" _Do you know what happened to Itachi's first bride?" he asked suddenly._

 _Hinata blinked. Someone else was meant to marry Itachi? She'd thought it odd that a family as influential as the Uchiha would allow their heir to be unattached for so long. Usually, these things were sorted out at birth. However, Sasuke was not the most reliable source of information for these things. She could never understand the affection Mikoto lavished on him. He seemed to see the wheels turning in her head and smirked._

" _She died of pneumonia. If you stay in this pond we will have to replace you too."_

 _She bristled at his statement and turned away. It was rude to speak so casually of the dead, especially of a girl that passed before her time._

" _I will not be replaced." She said firmly. " Please go away."_

" _Make me."_

 _She wasn't sure what got into her. His words were juvenile and petty. She knew better than to let him get under her skin but her body reacted faster than her mind. Releasing part of her kimono, she swiped her hand over the water to splash the Uchiha. Rivulets of cold pond water ran down his face, his bangs stuck to his forehead and his eyes narrowed in a menacing glare. She took a step back from him, startled by her own childish actions and wary of him splashing her back._

 _Unfortunately she'd lost feeling in her toes and the step backward caused her to slip and fall into the water. The pond wasn't deep but the silk of her kimono quickly absorbed the water and drenched her through to the bone. When she was finally able to right herself, she pushed the thicket wet ropes of hair out of her face and found herself alone. The Uchiha fan stitched into Sasuke's black kimono retreated, utterly unfazed by her distress, and left the courtyard entirely._

 _He hadn't even tried to help her although she hadn't expected him to. He wasn't the type that could be relied on for aid. As quickly as she could, she scrambled to leave the pond. There was at least one positive outcome from Sasuke's company._

 _She had lasted a lot longer than ten minutes…._

Although that cold winter day had been over a year ago, she would never forget the way he looked at her. The sound of the shoji door slamming shut in its track. The tense air between them every time they shared a meal. When he left on his journey to the palace he'd confused her even more with his fascination with her hair. He looked at the cut as if it had offended him in some way. To him, _everything_ she did was offensive.

"Let's go." He said gruffly, offering his elbow to lead her out of the room.

Nodding, she gingerly accepted his assistance only because walking on her own with all of the layers she had on was a recipe for disaster. It would only become worse when she put on her geta. Doing her best to not bear down too much on his arm, she took careful steps out of the room. Slowly but surely they left the room, her eyes focused on the ground the entire time. Each step forward was measured and careful, the nervousness in her heart mounting to a thundering crescendo in her ears.

"Hyuuga." Sasuke whispered flatly as he paused their journey.

He then removed her hand from his arm and took a few steps away from her before turning back to face her. Hinata stared at his retreating feet suspiciously. He wasn't doing a good job at being her escort if he was just going to leave her in the middle of the hallway.

"Look up."

His command was firm and rubbed her the wrong way but she complied. He stared back at her, his lips pursed in a line as he closed the distance between them. He lifted her chin with his forefinger and thumb, his brows knitted together in mild disapproval.

"You're going to be presented as the future matriarch of the Uchiha. If you have learned nothing in the years you've been here, remember this, do _not_ look down."

 **...**

The processional ceremony was a more cheerful ceremony than she'd anticipated. From the time that she'd left the inner ring of the Shiro to the time they'd arrived in the center of the District, the air had been thick with the noise of celebration. Mikoto and the council of six Uchiha male elders were the centers of attention. Everyone came at some point to pay their respects to their matriarch and receive the blessings that the elders could bestow upon them. No one left their company empty-handed either. A gold coin from the recent Uchiha conquest was given to every family that had a warrior die in the effort. There weren't many, a testament to the Uchiha skill and strength, but it was meaningful all the same.

The rest of the clan received rice or sweets to give to their children. Hinata observed Mikoto closely as she interacted with the multitudes of people that came to her pavilion. She was beautiful and poised and spoke to everyone as if they were a dear friend. There was no way she could ever replicate the air of Uchiha Mikoto. Her shoulders slumped a bit, partial under the weight of the silk in the hot spring afternoon and partially from the realization of her own insecurity.

The heady smoke of meats cooking didn't aid in lifting her mood either. Just in front of her shaded pavilion, there were children running back and forth with half eaten, roasted potatoes in their possession. Beyond them was a man roasting fish and a woman slicing slabs of pork off of a spit. Hinata winced at the sight, her stomach growling impatiently since it had been empty for over twenty-four hours. She'd been too nervous to eat last night. If she'd eaten breakfast she might have thrown up. Now her anxiety was coming back to bite her with a vengeance and the warm afternoon sun was taking its toll.

She frowned as her stomach growled again and closed her eyes. Maybe if she just rested her eyes for a moment she wouldn't have to think about how her stomach was on a mission to destroy her. Sleep sounded ideal right now since in addition to not eating she hadn't slept either.

"Hyuuga." Sasuke growled next to her and her eyes lazily opened.

She wasn't in the mood for him to reprimand her further. Biting back a yawn she straightened her back and tried to look alert. The silk sleeve of her kimono was tugged on slightly but she ignored it. The tug grew stronger still and when she continued to ignore it, her wrist was exposed. Surprised she turned to say something to Sasuke but found a small rice cracker being slipped underneath the palm of her hand. She swallowed thickly and her stomach growled. All protest now was forgotten, she took the rice cracker and discreetly hid it within the folds of her sleeves. When the well-wishers passed by their pavilion, Sasuke tilted his body ever so slightly to block her from view.

As he handed each person a gold coin, she quickly ate the rice cracker and covered her mouth demurely to hide her chewing. It wasn't much but it was enough to make her alert again. She eyed the profile of the Uchiha next to her suspiciously. Why was he being so nice to her? He didn't have a kind bone in his body. Her suspicions grew when another rice cracker was slipped into her possession. She tried to reject the offering, mistrustful of her companion's intentions, but there wasn't much she could do without gaining unwanted attention. That and the fact that her stomach yearned for the small snack he gave.

Eventually, she relented, although she remained suspicious, and secretly ate the crackers he gave her from behind the veil of her wide sleeve. As she munched away, the sound of distant drumming reached the walls of the Uchiha District and a hush fell over the occupants. Her heart, which had finally returned to a normal pace, began thundering wildly in her chest. It only took a second of recognition among the crowd for them to begin cheering louder than the drums and the gates to the District were slowly pulled open.

The Uchiha had returned and they were victorious.

 **...**

 _ **The Fifteenth Spring of the Suzume**_

 _ **Hyuuga Compound- Inner Ring Dojo**_

 _ **...**_

Hanabi sighed as she slipped off her geta and wandered into the empty dojo. The compound was silent, even more so than normal. She'd planned on sneaking out to visit the outer ring but after the heated debate among the elders about her future, she had little desire to do so. On the cusp of her sixteenth year, she was everything the elders discouraged in their own daughters and granddaughters.

She was willful.

Disobedient.

Snappy.

Irresponsible.

Her tutors found her unteachable and the branch maids were frustrated with her lack of personal care. She didn't want to wear the makeup for their ceremonies. She dreaded the day that she married and she was forced to coat her teeth black. She didn't want any of this and yet… _this_ was all there was. Frowning she rolled the sleeves of her canary yellow yukata up to her shoulders and chose her favorite practice katana from the wall. Slim and light, it wasn't really meant for anyone to use. In the past, Neji had used it since he was too small to hold the weight of a regular weapon. He'd long outgrown that stage in his training but the dulled blade still suited her own needs.

With a practiced ease, she moved into the center of the room and practiced the stances she'd been watching through the door for years. Neji was forceful in all of his actions. She could never hope to match his skills, not without proper training at least. Despite her amateur attempts it was still amusing to pretend that she was slicing through a few of her least favorite and most wrinkled elders. She didn't want to harm them in reality but their words hurt her just the same.

"Hanabi." Her father's deep voice called from the dojo entrance.

The teen tensed at the sound of it and fruitlessly tried to hide the blade she'd taken behind her back. His face was unreadable as always as he closed the shoji door behind him. His steps across the tatami flor were silent but as he got closer she felt smaller and smaller. Though he was expressionless the words of the elders still rang in her ears.

Emotional.

Attached.

The man that stood before her was anything but those things. Why he wanted to keep her around was just as much of a surprise to her as it was to the elders. _Hinata_ was the one that he'd always treated like a girl. _Hinata_ was the one that everyone whispered looked like the late Hyuuga matriarch. _Hinata_ was the one that caused him to disappear into his own solitude for over two weeks when she'd left the compound. Her father had never shown her any such affection so it didn't make sense why he would fight to keep her.

Hiashi stopped less than a foot away from her and held out his hand. Hanabi took a step back, her grip tightening around her stolen practice blade. Shifting nervously from one foot to the other, Hanabi avoided his gaze for fear of his impending reprimand.

"If you hold a blade like that, your opponent will slice off your fingers. Try again."

Hanabi blinked and looked at her father fully. He stood with his hands tucked into his sleeves and his gaze was serious. His tone was the same as what he used during his private training with Neji and it made her heart skip a beat. Warily, she held the practice sword in front of her and resumed her previous stance. Her father stepped closer, his brows knitting together in concentration.

"Put your shoulders back. Knees bent. Not that much, you'll fall."

"Otou-"

"Do as I say."

It was uncomfortable to stand the way he instructed but she did it anyway. Sweat began to pool on her brow as she stood, her muscles aching to move. Silently her father nodded his approval as he walked around her form thoughtfully.

"Good. Try swinging into the first position."

"But my arms are starting to hurt."

"If you pick up a sword you should be prepared for a lot more pain than this. "

Her eyes widened at his words, dropping the stance she was in to stand up fully in a more relaxed posture.

"Otou-san…I overheard your meeting with the elders today."

"When you _should_ have been with your tutor."

Hanabi sheepishly coughed and scratched the back of her head.

"Um…yea…" she said, a blush spreading over her cheeks. "Are you going to listen to them? Are you going to let them marry me off?"

"Hana-"

"Hinata will send for me soon so you don't have to keep fighting with the elders. The Uchiha were successful and our own men have returned. I just need to stay a little bit longer-"

"Hanabi." Her father said firmly, cutting off any further protest on her part. "Hinata will not be able to send for you."

"But-"

"You will not leave the inner ring. Do not argue with me on this."

"Otou-san-" she started but the haggard look on her father's face made her words die on her tongue.

She saw his age. His stress. The weight of having to fight everyone. She didn't agree with what he said. Hinata had _promised_ to send for her. One day she _would_ leave the inner ring and it would not occur with her being carted off on a palanquin to marry a stranger. For now, though, the least she could do was take some of the weight off of her father's shoulders and comply.

Determined, she returned to her previous stance with her katana and bent her knees just as she'd been instructed. Her muscles protested the move and when she went to swing, she ended up stumbling forward. Her sword fell from her grasp and slid over the tatami. She glanced at her father, already tensing for an admonishment, but nothing came. Instead, he tilted his head in the direction of her sword as if to tell her to try again.

So she did.

 _ **To be continued…**_

 _Nature's beauty bows_

 _when exchanged vows radiate_

 _pure love in their eyes._

 _Norausky_


	7. Chapter 7

**CCNote:** **To the readers wondering about Hanabi's role in this story, she is a main character and I'm really excited to write with her. IDK if you can tell from previous fics but Sasuke and Hanabi are my favorite characters to write for. For this story, Sasuke, Itachi, Hinata, and Hanabi all have large roles to play with wide-ranging character arcs till we reach the end. Also, does Hanabi marry Itachi? Whether this story is ItaHana, SasuHina, ItaHina, SasuHana, or everyone just stays friends/family I can't answer that for you.**

 **An important element of this story is that you will not know how this ends till it does. It might be best for many of you to just wait for this story to be complete before you read it because this is going to be a long fic with lots of action and surprises. And when I say long I mean long. The first few chapters have just been world building and character establishment. I don't want preconceived notions that are wrong to make anyone write off this story so soon. So maybe it's just best to wait till January/February when this fic is finished so all of your questions can be answered at once? Regardless of the path, this story takes I can honestly promise you it will be fun.**

 **ANYWAY! Enjoy! Don't forget to leave a REVIEW!**

 **Man and Wife**

 _Nature's beauty bows_

 _When exchanged vows radiate_

 _Pure love in their eyes._

 _ **(Norausky)**_

 _ **The Twenty-fifth Spring of the Karasu**_

 _ **Uchiha District- Shrio**_

…

"I believe that will be all for tonight gentleman. Thank you again for your service."

Newly minted and well-seasoned warriors alike relaxed at his words and smiled to one another. They slung arms around each other's shoulders and jovially left the meeting room with their hopes high and their pockets fatter. Itachi wished that he could share in their revelry but alas his own work was far from over for the night.

"You are too kind Itachi." Fugaku chuckled as he sank down into a crushed velvet chair. "A simple 'dismissed' would do."

"It is easier to be tactful," Itachi replied and his father shook his head.

"It is easier to be respected. One of these days they will mistake your kind words as weakness. That will be the day they slack off and cost you your neck."

Itachi moved around the table to collect the scrolls their men had left behind. His father snorted at the action and continued to grumble. The younger Uchiha merely nodded along and prepared the tired Commander a drink. He always got grumpy after a long day spent idly in a chair. He was a man that only felt content with a sworn in his hand and a goal to fight towards. Silently, Itachi poured two saucers of sake and handed one over.

"You are working for your staff Itachi." Fugaku admonished but accepted the saucer gratefully.

"Perhaps." Itachi sighed as he sipped his own drink.

"One of these days my words will get through to you. Hopefully, it's before I'm dead."

One of these days….that was doubtful….

A soft knock to the door cut off any further conversation between the two men. Without waiting for permission the door opened and three women sauntered into the room. Beauties in their own right, all three of them wore matching blue kimonos and their long dark hair was loose around their shoulders. Through heavy lined eyes, the shortest of the women looked Itachi up and down. She winked at him and licked her lips from behind her companions.

"Good evening Commander." The leader of the three women said and his father sat up straighter in his chair. "I hope we aren't interrupting anything important."

Taking that as his cue to leave, Itachi left his half-empty saucer. The door had barely closed behind him before the giggles had started. The hallway outside of the meeting room was abandoned which was unusual at this time of the evening, especially since it felt as if the residents Shiro never slept most days. Without sparing a glance back at the meeting room, Itachi made his way down the deserted halls of the east wing, grateful to have a moment of peace to himself. Since arriving back home he'd been swept up in such a flurry of activity it was difficult to find the time to breathe.

It was peaceful here. Quiet….too quiet.

The silence set him on edge even though he had no reason to be anxious. He didn't miss the killing but it was odd not to have his katana on his hip and Shisui at his back. This feeling would subside though. With time, as always, he'd fall back into the monotony of life in the Uchiha District. However, this return was unlike previous ones. He was busier, Sasuke wasn't seeking out his company, and there was no Izumi to turn to when the nights became long. Instead, there was another girl in a place that Izumi would never be allowed to sit. A girl he'd corresponded with through letters but still only barely knew.

"Oh Itachi!" a cheerful voice called from the other end of the abandoned hall.

Itachi turned to find his mother smiling down the wing of the hall he'd just left and she quickly caught up to his side.

"Good evening kaa-san." He said and offered her his arm. She took it, giving his bicep a gentle squeeze and walked slowly with him down the hall.

"I see your meeting finished early." She said absently and Itachi gave her a knowing glance. She looked away and shrugged.

"How has Sasuke been?" he asked, hoping to bring their conversation into lighter territory. As always his mother lit up at her youngest son's name.

"He's doing well. I swear every time he returns from the palace he's even more handsome and at least a foot taller. He should be caught up to you by now. What do you think?"

"I haven't seen him. He's been making himself scarce this time around."

"Really? He and Hinata can usually be found together but I suppose you haven't had a chance to speak with her either." His mother replied thoughtfully. Itachi chuckled at the news.

"Has Sasuke become taken with her? Oh, what will I do if my bride has been stolen from me-"

His mother laughed and lightly smacked his arm

"Don't be silly. He and Hinata do not get along at all. Sasuke doesn't fare well around most people, least of all women…Maybe we should ask the physician…"

"There are many men that do not prefer the company of women kaa-san."

"Sasuke would have an aneurysm if he heard you say that." Mikoto smiled and wiggled her eyebrows suggestively. "I _have_ heard rumors that he and the emperor's son get on well enough. They're nearly attached at the hip. In any case, you'll have to put off talking to Sasuke about his proclivities for another evening."

"Kaa-san-" Itachi started but she scoffed.

"I won't take no for an answer. Tell me about your travels and I'll send for food. I know for a fact that you haven't eaten at all today. Besides, there is a certain bride I need to tell you about."

Itachi relented at her cheerful obstinance and smiled as they turned down a corner that would lead them to his mother's private rooms. He enjoyed being alone but it had been far too long since he'd been in his mother's presence. Plus the promise of food after a long day was more than enough for him to push his todo list for the evening to the back of his mind just this once.

… **..**

 _ **The Twentieth Spring of the Hato**_

 _ **Uchiha District- Shiro**_

… **..**

Uchiha Itachi was the talk of the District as soon as his horse had crossed through the gates. He strode in behind the Uchiha patriarch as his second in command and heir. Intimidating and tall upon his horse, his eyes scanned the crowd of District citizens and clansmen alike. People reached out to touch him and his fellow warriors, proud that their legacy would be carried on. Though the fanfare of the welcoming ceremony had died down she still felt giddy at the memory. He was real and safe and had returned from war a hero. People whispered of his skills and a prowess. A prodigy they called him. No other Uchiha heir in recent memory had fought in as many battles and come through unscathed. Although no one wanted to see the end of Fugaku, the whispered of an assured and continued prosperity under his son.

Hinata bit her bottom lip, her brush frozen over the inkwell. She thought that by going to the library the words she wanted to express would come easier but her mind drew a blank. What would she be able to tell Hanabi about Itachi? There was so much to say but all of it was second hand. He'd barely been able to look her way since he'd arrived a few days ago. She understood that he was busy but a large part of her feared that they would not speak until it was time for their vows to be exchanged.

She groaned and laid her head down on the table. The last thing she wanted was the first words she said to him to be 'I do'. However, what else could they talk about? She knew nothing of military strategies and war. Her own interests lay in calligraphy and flower pressing- hobbies that warrior typically didn't care about. Hinata groaned again and pressed her hand against her mother's necklace where it rested underneath her navy yukata.

Once again she was left feeling inadequate.

"How many times are you going to groan?" an irritated voice called from a few tables away.

Hinata picked her head up from her table and narrowed her eyes at Sasuke who merely glared back at her and returned to working on his own scroll. He, like herself, had been largely forgotten about since Itachi's arrival. With the influx of men, the training room was too full for him to train as he normally did. His brother and father were too caught up in meetings to converse with him outside of meal times (if they ate dinner at all). Mikoto was also busy with wedding arrangements which meant that the two youngest members of the household only had each other for company. It was a fraught companionship as neither on wished to be in the other's presence.

As large as the Shiro was, it was difficult for them to avoid one another and stay out of the way from the flurry of activity. He was bored and so was she but that did nothing to make them more amicable to one another. Looking away from the Uchiha who was now ignoring her, she returned to her letter and tried to think of something to say.

 _Hana,_

 _The cherry blossoms should be ready to bloom on the compound. The ones in the district are almost ready and with them comes more than the promise of warmer weather. Itachi has returned to the District but I have not spoken to him…_

 _It's only been a few days but I fear I may not speak until our wedding. My tongue feels even heavier than the day I arrived. If you were here you'd know exactly what to say-_

"Little brother. It is good to see you serious about your studies." An unfamiliar voice called from the library's entrance.

She and Sasuke both perked up at the presence and were met with Itachi smirking with his arms crossed over his chest.

"Since you neglected to return my last few letters I was sure that you'd forgotten how to read."

Sasuke bristled at his jab and leaned back on his cushion.

"I had other things to occupy my time at the palace. I didn't have as much freedom as you did to write lengthy letters."

Itachi smirked, so similar was the expression to Sasuke's but he was kinder…less arrogant. His bemusement moved from his brother to her and Hinata felt her face heat up under his gaze.

"Since my brother is too busy for me, would you join me for a walk little dove?" he asked.

The letter to Hanabi was immediately forgotten and her head nodded before she had a chance to fully process his words. He was already leading her to the library's door by the time she realized that she would be spending time with him. _Alone_. Nervously she looked back at Sasuke who still sat at his own scroll strewn table. He rolled his eyes at her frazzled expression and went back to reading.

' _Jerk.'_ Hinata thought but tried to focus on not tripping as she walked down the hall.

At least now she would be able to speak with Itachi how she'd wanted to. Hopefully, he wouldn't think she was as stupid as Sasuke did.

 **…**

 _ **The Twenty-third Spring of the Karasu**_

 _ **Uchiha District- Shrio**_

… **..**

She was a nervous thing, albeit not as frightened as she was three years ago. His only memory of Hinata was of a girl too petrified to speak. She was still anxious but she didn't look like she was about to vomit at the sight of him. With time she would become more comfortable…he hoped. As they walked around the bustling courtyard it felt as if the day she became comfortable around him was far off. He was a patient man though and in no hurry to rush their relationship along. Smiling to himself, he plucked a light pink tulip from the raised bed beside them and examined it carefully.

"I haven't seen one of these in this garden." He mused. "It's nice."

Most of his landscapes in Kumo consisted of stone and rain and blood. He frowned at the last part but brushed it aside to find Hinata staring up at him quizzically. Her head was cocked slightly to the side as her gaze shifted between his face and the tulip.

"You like flowers?" she asked and Itachi smiled.

"When I have time I like to appreciate them." He replied causing pale eyes to light up with his words. "I believe it is safe to assume that you like them as well."

Hinata nodded her head with a wide smile before squatting down to get a better look at the tulips in the raised bed.

"Mikoto-san and I planted these two springs ago." She said softly, a wistful sigh on her lips. "They didn't bloom last year…it was too cold for too long. This year it's warming faster and so many sprouts have popped up. Mikoto-san says that this year will be the best for the garden. I-"

She paused and her face turned a light pink as she pushed some of her hair behind her ear.

"I'm sorry. I don't mean to keep going on. This must be boring."

"It's not." Itachi shrugged as he crouched down next to her. "Go on. Tell me more."

The pink color of her cheeks deepened as she grew more flustered with his proximity but she cleared her throat and turned back to the flowers.

"Um… well…the tulips will bloom every year as long as the soil is cared for properly. The roses as well but they won't appear until the summer with the hydrangea."

"What about the water lilies?"

"The water lilies? Oh! They were bigger than the serving plates last summer. It was beautiful. Some of the artisans painted it if you want to see it. I tried to join them but…I wasn't very good."

Itachi smiled and plucked another tulip, this one a soft yellow, and pensively rolled the stem between his finger and thumb. It had been a while since he'd indulged in anything as simple as flower admiration. The rather one-sided conversation was a welcome reprieve from all of the information he'd been bogged down with lately. He actually had another meeting that he needed to get to shortly, but he couldn't bring himself to interrupt the soft-spoken woman beside her.

When she spoke about the flowers she lit up in a way that was almost childlike in her excitement. Innocent and happy. She was everything he never got to enjoy during his time within the Shiro. Up to this point, she must have been protected from all of the negative influences that lurked within the District. That had been his mother's doing no doubt. She spoke as fondly of Hinata as she did Sasuke. It seemed as though she continued to work hard at shielding both of them from the world.

How long their innocence would last was anyone's guess.

… **..**

 _ **The Twentieth Spring of the Hato**_

 _ **Uchiha District- Atami Shrine**_

… **..**

The rest of the week flew by faster than she could have imagined. It was surreal that the day of their wedding had come but it was odd to stand next to Itachi and know that he was now her husband. Til death claimed them to join their ancestors they would be bound permanently in this life. Hinata glanced over to where he stood, his back rigid and his face impassive. He was intimidating without even trying.

He bowed at the waist before the priest and she followed suit, closing her eyes so that the sage he burned over them didn't get in her eyes. Once the purification was complete, two other priests rolled out a long weathered scroll and set it on the podium before them. The names etched on the scroll reached back as far as the Uchiha clan itself had existed, the hands with which had etched their names all dead and gone. Well, except for one. Hinata marveled at Mikoto and Fugaku's names for a moment before she was drawn in by Itachi's own hand.

His penmanship was careful as he wrote their names into the scroll and she couldn't help but wonder if this was what he looked like every time he wrote her a letter. Thoughtful. Diligent. When he finished writing, the priest came and reverently held out a small dagger to them both. Hinata took the blade as Mikoto had instructed her and Itachi offered her his hand. She sliced into his thumb and blood pooled at the tip. He then pressed his thumb next to his own name and gently took the blade from her when he finished.

The steel was cold and stung when it pricked her own thumb but she didn't grimace or show discomfort. Itachi assisted her in pressing the thumb to the scroll so that the sleeves of her wedding kimono were not tarnished by the wet ink or her blood. As he did so, she marveled at how large his hands were compared to her own.

With her blood now marking their union, Itachi pulled her hand back and smirked at her. Though he didn't say anything his smile was kind and the mask of the intimidating warrior was lifted for only a moment….

"I promise to honor you as my wife…"

"And you as my husband…."

….

 **The Twentieth** _ **Spring of the Taka**_

 _ **Uchiha District-Atami Shrine**_

… _ **..**_

Weddings had never been his kind of amusement. They were boring and stuffy and enough of them had occurred in the palace to last him a lifetime. Marriage wasn't something people honored enough in their everyday lives for him to care about a one-off celebration. Itachi's wedding was different though. The massive amount of people in attendance was one indication of its importance. The air was lighter than usual, the attendees drunk on the gaiety of the event and the sake that had been free-flowing since the sun had risen. Sasuke sipped from his own cup as he waited for the ceremony to be completed inside of the shrine. All around him music played and his clansmen dance, eager for their heir to no longer be single.

"Sasu-bo!" Shisui called out to him, already more than a little tipsy for the occasion.

Sasuke frowned as his older cousin drew closer but didn't move. There was no use trying to escape Shisui once he had his sights set on a person. The older Uchiha threw an arm around his shoulders and brought him in close for a half hug.

"This is an exciting day isn't it Sasuke?" he slurred and Sasuke vainly attempted to shrug off his arm.

"How much have you had already?' Sasuke scoffed.

Shisui laughed and waved a half-empty sake bottle.

"I've had enough. More than your sensitive stomach could ever take."

"You're drunk."

"Not in the slightest."

Sasuke rolled his eyes just as the doors to the shrine were opened by the monks to reveal his brother and his bride. She stood in a traditional white kimono. Her lips painted red and her cheeks flushed pink with a rouge that was all her own. Pale eyes wide with surprise as she took in the crowd. She quickly brought her expression back to being neutral which was expected of her. His mother had trained her well however he knew she was still uncomfortable.

The small twitch of her brow. The way her eyes never met anyone else for longer than a breath. Her fingers clutched his brother's arm and he knew exactly what it felt like. As calm as she appeared on the outside, he knew that she held on as if he life depended on it. Sasuke frowned and looked away as the pair descended the steps of the shrine together. He really needed to stop allowing the Hyuuga to enter his thoughts….well not Hyuuga.

She was now an Uchiha.

"That's going to be you soon Sasu-bo." Shisui sighed as before he took another swig of sake. "You and Itachi have grown up so fast!"

"You'll drink yourself to death before you see me resign to getting married."

"Don't be like that Sasuke! Women are very interesting creatures, even more so after you marry them."

"A battlefield is more interesting than the gossip of women."

Shisui chuckled smugly and poked at Sasuke's cheek.

"That's where you're wrong. We fight and survive so we can get back into their arms."

"If they are so wonderful why are you still single?" Sasuke scoffed.

He meant his comment to be in jest but the dark look on Shisui's face gave a moment of sobriety to the man. He looked down at his bottle and pensively swished the contents inside.

"I will die soon. By my own hand or another's." Shisui said flatly. "That's what they told my mother after they snipped the cord around my neck. If I'm meant to be killed I'd rather not leave a mess behind."

"Shisui-" Sasuke started but the wry smile on his cousin's face let him know that the idiot was only pulling his leg.

' _Fucking ass.'_ He thought. ' _I'd almost believed him for a moment.'_

"Don't look so sour Sasuke." Shisui laughed as he began to led him through the crowd, away from the bride and groom. "We may be two sad bachelors but that doesn't mean we can't go find a little fun of our own!"

He didn't _want_ to know what Shisui's idea of fun. He was almost tempted to make more of an effort to shrug off his arm but a few feet away he saw Hinata and Itachi. They were preoccupied with talking to other guests, well Itachi was talking and she nodded along when appropriate. From across the crowd, their eyes met briefly and it felt as if all of the chaos in the courtyard had ceased. Those lavender eyes had given him pause even when he was hundreds of miles away. It irked him to no end. The eye contact was short. Itachi put an arm around her shoulders. She looked away and so did he.

Sasuke frowned, knowing what was to become of Hinata for the rest of the evening. Because she was now married. Because she was now his brother's wife. Because he had no right to be irritated. Because he needed to get those doe-like eyes out of his mind.

He nodded to Shisui and allowed himself to be led through the throng.

… **..**

 _ **The Twentieth Spring of the Hato**_

 _ **Uchiha District- Shiro**_

… **..**

"Congratulations Itachi-san! I must say your bride is very beautiful."

With the ceremony complete the day was not yet over. If anyone were to ask her about the hardest part of her day it would arguably be _this._

"It's a good thing Mikoto hid her away all those years ne?"

All of the faces she saw were unrecognizable and blended together worse than her own clan. Dark hair, dark eyes, and pale skin. It was hard to tell anyone apart though she knew that she needed to make more of an effort. She'd memorized the family line of succession. She knew the names of all the top generals in the Uchiha's army. The Scribes. The physicians.

"What a wonderful celebration!"

Yet, as they paraded before her all of that knowledge flew out the window. Instead, it took everything in her to not get she sleeves caught in the myriad of dishes on the table and nod along with conversations she cared nothing about. Itachi was the one that mainly handled all of their conversations. They treated him with great deference and it was clear how well he'd been groomed for his role.

Taking a deep breath through her nose, Hinata continued to smile as best as she could but all the while mindful of when the hour to retire would be upon them. It happened sooner than she'd anticipated. The large banquet room fell to a hush when the Uchiha patriarch stood from a circular table in the middle of the room. Mikoto stood with him as well, a soft smile on her face.

"This has been a celebration for the ages, hasn't it? It feels like just yesterday Itachi was born. Now, he is almost ready to take my place." Fugaku said and the crowd awed at his words. "He has a wife who is more beautiful than he deserves. I hope that he is grateful."

He tipped his saucer of sake in Hinata's direction and she bowed ass gracefully as she could from her seat. It was odd to have Fugaku's attention on her but she supposed that she would have to grow accustomed to it. They were family now.

"Now I'm not going to bore you all with a long speech. I will keep it short and wish you congratulations on your union and hope for healthy sons."

With that, he raised his glass and took a sip. The overly crowded room's occupants followed his actions and Hinata raised her own glass to her lips. The sake was harsh on her tongue but she drank it without flinching. After the toast was complete the regular noise level returned to the room but Itachi did not return to their meal. Instead, he grabbed her hand and helped her rise to her feet. Her legs were a bit wobbly from sitting for so long but his grip was firm and kept her from losing her balance.

Once they were both standing the noise in the room grew even louder and she tried her best not to make eye contact with anyone as their dishes were removed and servants came to take them off in separate directions. The whoops and cheers were enough to make her wish to die of mortification. Her own servant girls had enough self-control to remain composed until the shoji doors of the banquet room closed behind them. After that, they were a fit of inconsolable giggles from the hallway to the hot springs to an offshoot of the Shiro that was to be her new home.

"A Hyuuga. I really couldn't believe it when they told me!"

"I know right! I thought the old ladies were lying!"

The new wing was only 'new' to her. It had been passed down through the generations as an interim residence of the Uchiha heir after he married and until it came time for his ascension. In the three years that she'd been at the Shiro she'd never set foot within the doors though as Itachi's intended she had every right to do so….

"This is going to be so much fun!"

"She's so short! Like a doll!"

"Oh please tell me you like bright colors? The old ladies made Uchiha-sama look so dark!"

Three suites, a large kitchen, tea room, and a formal greeting area made up the secluded wing. As tradition dictated, there were separate quarters for her and Itachi. Mikoto and Fugaku did not share a room but her own parents had. Hinata pressed her hand tentatively against the necklace underneath her wedding kimono and glanced warily at the door that led to Itachi's rooms.

"You are so lucky!"

" _We_ are the lucky ones. My friends were only able to make into the kitchens."

Would he wish to share like her own mother and father?

Hinata shook the notion from her mind as she was led to her own rooms which were far more elaborate than where she'd been staying for the last three years…

"What do want to wear tonight Uchiha-san?"

' _Uchiha-san?'_

Hinata blinked and finally looked at the three girls that had been prattling on endlessly to one another since they'd left the festivities. Two blondes and one with curiously pink hair stared back at her with big grins on their faces. They were not the traditional Uchiha clan attendants she'd been expecting. All Uchiha shared darker characteristics like her own clan whereas these girls were clearly foreign. The tallest of the three, who had remained mostly silent throughout their journey, stepped forward and placed both of her hands on the nervous bride's shoulders.

"I think your constant babbling has left her shell-shocked." She said and waved the other two girls away. "Go start the bath. We will decide what she wears while you do."

The other blonde and the pink haired girl pouted but quickly went on to an adjoining room to complete their task. With them preoccupied the room was much quieter and a slight weight lifted from her shoulders.

"Ah, finally. Peace and quiet." The blonde sighed as she brought Hinata over to a vanity and directed her to have a seat at the bench. "Sakura-chan and Ino-chan mean well but they can be a lot to take in at once. I'm still getting used to them myself."

Hinata smiled at the blonde's assessment and allowed her to remove her tsunokakushi from her head. Once divested of she began the arduous task of loosening her hair from its intricate topknot and baubles. As she did so, Hinata stared at their reflections in the mirror, her curiosity about the woman growing with each freed lock of hair. Though she appeared to be slightly older it was nice to have company that was close in age. The prospect of getting to know her and the two other girls almost made her giddy. She hadn't been friends with another girl since she'd left the compound and that friend had been a sister.

"Um." Hinata started as the blonde picked up a brush from the vanity. "What is your name?"

"Temari, Uchiha-san."

' _No last name..._ ' Hinata thought pensively.

"Where are you from?"

"Sunagakure."

"No. I mean your clan-"

"My family is irrelevant." Temari said reflexively before catching her rude behavior. "I'm sorry Uchiha-san I-"

Hinata shook her head furiously and smiled.

"No! Please don't apologize! I just hope that we get to know each other well Temari-san." She said, her cheeks flushing. "Actually…could you not call me Uchiha-san? I'm not used to it…."

"But-"

"Just….just Hinata will do."

"Uchi- I mean _Hinata_ , Uchiha-sama's attendants will scold us if they believe we are not doing our duties properly. We are your wedding gifts-"

"Gifts?" Hinata interrupted and Temari nodded. She then frowned and stopped the girl from brushing her hair. "I'd rather you be my friends…"

This time it was Temari's turn to frown.

"Uchiha-san. the bath is ready! Get in while it's still hot!" called one of the other girls from the bathroom.

Temari's frown changed to a smile as she put the brush back on the vanity and moved to one of many large trunks in the corner of the room. She opened one of them and pulled out a white yukata. It looked simple from far away but when she brought it closer, Hinata was able to inspect the delicately embroidered silver flowers that made up the garment's patterns.

"The Uchihas have given you many beautiful silks but on a night like this I think that simple is best."

 **….**

Hinata gulped nervously as Temari, Ino, and Sakura gathered the mess of her wedding kimono and politely left the room. The bath was filled with lemongrass and rose petals in an effort to make her smell better and relax. Relaxing was something that she just couldn't do. As soon as her wedding kimono had been shed, they scrubbed her pale skin until it turned pink. Ino and Sakura had giggled enviously as they washed her…a humiliating experience for her but at least they were happy. Now she was finished and left to wait for Itachi to come to her which was arguably worse.

Anxiously she pulled at the thin fabric of her yukata and tried to steel her nerves. She could do this. Itachi was handsome and kind…kinder than he had any right to be. Itachi was a warrior but he could be gentle. The way he'd handled the tulips was as if they'd break….

"Little Dove." A deep voice rolled from the entrance of the tea room.

Hinata looked up to see Itachi enter the room, his hands tucked into the sleeves of a more simple navy yukata to join her at the table. Her training from Mikoto immediately kicked in with his arrival and she reached for the bottle of sake on the table. The porcelain saucers clinked together as she overturned them on accident with her sleeve. Mentally cursing herself, Hinata righted the saucers and tried not to look as embarrassed as she felt. She poured some of the sake into a saucer for him, mindful of her sleeve, but her hand shook so badly that more of the alcohol ended up on the table.

"I-I'm sorry!" she squeaked as she placed the bottle down and looked around for a cloth to clean up the spill.

"Hinata." Itachi chuckled and motioned for her to sit next to him.

Her blush deepened at the prospect but she complied. She sat on the plush cushion, her back tense and her eyes focused on the table in front of her.

"Did you enjoy the feast?" he asked and Hinata nodded her head. "Are you sure? If I recall you ate nothing."

Surprised Hinata looked up at him to find that he was smiling. At the same time, the door to the sitting area opened and an older man entered with a tray of covered dishes. He quickly set the tray down of food in front of them and bowed out with his exit. Itachi seemed to find amusement in her confusion and began uncovering the items on the tray to reveal a smaller version of their wedding feast. Or well more like their dessert. Rice cakes, dango, biscuits, and various chocolates were laid out before her and the sight of them made her stomach growl. She blushed at how traitorous her body was.

"Do you like sweets?" Itachi asked, his fingers already reaching for a plate piled with dango. "These are my favorite. I'm afraid I don't share."

Hinata smiled as she watched him eat, the anxiety from before easing up. She then reached for the small bowl of rice pudding and a spoon. Itachi quirked his brow and she blushed.

"This one is my favorite."

 _ **To be continued…..**_

 _Dark-bosomed clouds_

 _pregnant with heavy thunder_

 _the water breaks_

 ** _(Basho)_**


	8. Chapter 8

**CCNote: Favorites and Follows are nice but Reviews are better! I can't always respond (right now is a particularly busy time) but don't forget to leave a REVIEW! ANYWAY, please enjoy!**

 **Respite**

 _Dark-bosomed clouds_

 _pregnant with heavy thunder_

 _the water breaks_

 ** _The Twentieth Spring of the Hato_**

 ** _Uchiha District- Heir Wing_**

The desserts were cleared away, their conversation dwindling as the night grew long. Although she was tired she knew she had one more task to perform. Her first duty as a wife. Steeling herself, she allowed Itachi to lead her to his bedroom. It was larger than her own…the overly stuffed futon in the middle more intimidating. She knew what came next. She knew it was her responsibility. She knew that it would hurt.

Yet Itachi was gentle.

He pulled at her obi with ease as if he'd removed one before and when her yukata became loose he didn't rush to push it off. Though calloused from years of battle, when his hands cupped her cheeks they were surprisingly warm. It was only when he touched her that she realized that she was trembling. He leaned in closer, his head tilted to kiss her, but her eyes squeezed close and she turned away. His lips caught her cheek briefly before he pulled away.

Ashamed at her own hesitance, she opened her eyes and expected to see Itachi frowning. Instead, he smiled softly and his hands trailed down to pull her yukata closed. He then grabbed her obi and motioned for her to turn around. Confused, she complied and he wrapped the obi around her waist tightly.

"Itachi I-" she started as he turned her back around to face him but her words caught in her throat.

"It has been a long day. I believe it's best for you to go to sleep." He said.

His words were kind. His expression honest. However, the feeling of failure began to set in and she cursed herself for being so childish. There were countless girls younger than her that were already mothers but she trembled at the prospect of being kissed. She waited three years for this moment. The entire reason she was here was to be Itachi's wife and she couldn't even allow him to kiss her...

She watched as he moved to his bedside drawer and pulled out a small dagger. Before she could stop him, he sliced into the palm of his hand and smeared some of the blood on the white sheets of the futon. He then grabbed a rag from the drawer and cleaned the blood off of the blade and his hand.

"Stay in this room until the attendants come for the sheets in the morning. If you go to your own room it will draw suspicion." Itachi said.

"You're leaving?"

Itachi glanced out the window and she followed his line of sight to the full moon shining brightly beyond the glass.

"I find sleep to be elusive most nights." He mumbled before turning to leave the room. "When you are ready you will come to me. Not a moment before."

"Itachi." she said just as he slid the door open. He paused and turned back to look at her. "I...I'm sorry."

She really was. Tomorrow she would do better. Tomorrow she would be more confident. Tomorrow she would go to him. As if he could read her thoughts, Itachi smirked and turned away.

"Goodnight Hinata."

 _ **The Twentieth Spring of the Taka**_

 _ **Uchiha District**_

 _A small groan of satisfaction escaped his lips as he slipped into the hot spring. Braving the cold winter air was worth every moment as soon as the hot water touched his skin. After a long day of training and monotony, this was exactly what he needed. Sasuke closed his eyes and leaned back against the rocks, relishing the peace. The silence was not meant to last and the splashing of someone joining him in the spring almost made him open his eyes. When his eyes were opened he found himself staring at darkness, a wet hand pressed over his eyes._

" _Uchiha-san." A soft and vaguely voice whispered in his ear. "Don't open your eyes."_

 _He wasn't fond of being told what to do but another hand but the owner of the hand came closer and a warm body pressed against his own. Slowly he nodded his head and his companion removed her hand from over his eyes. Slender fingers slid down his chest, taking their time to trail away under the water. At first, her fingers merely ghosted over his member. It was a light touch but one that made him nearly open his eyes. He sprang to life quickly under her touch and she gave him a soft squeeze._

" _Uchiha-san."_

 _Her hand moved up and down underneath the water, twisting slightly when she got to the tip. His head fell back against the rocks as he relished the feeling._

" _Uchiha-san."_

 _Her voice was soft and inviting to his ears. The sound of it was more intimate than her actions and he wondered if he could make her speak louder. If he could make her scream his name…._

….Light from the sun burned him despite the fact that his eyes were closed. It was odd to even feel the morning creep up on him since he usually awoke at dawn. At least he tried to. The motivation of being able to train with his older brother had always been a driving force to get him out of bed but in recent years he was barely able to rise when the rooster crowed.

The dream he'd just been having was good, that much he knew. Yet he couldn't remember _what_ he'd been dreaming about. All that was left of the vision was the soft voice of a woman and the frustration of unfufilment. Maybe if he went back to sleep he would be able to remember. Unfortunately, the sun was too bright to comfortably fall back to sleep.

Sasuke groaned and placed a palm over his weary eyes. Just the sound of his own voice irritated him, compounding the throbbing that was his brain. How much had he drunk last night? He had a relatively high alcohol tolerance. To feel this drained meant that he'd gone well past his limit. As he tried to wrack his brain for just how many cups-or bottles- of sake he'd consumed, something warm and unfamiliar wiggled by his side. The motion made the Uchiha freeze, his blood running cold with the realization that he was not alone.

 _No one_ was allowed to enter his room. Not even his mother was allowed in after he'd drawn a firm line at puberty. For someone to have the _gall_ to enter his room. To sleep beside him. To touch him. They must have a death wish. Perhaps he was only imagining there was someone next to him. Perhaps he was still drunk from the night before. Another wiggle and a feminine groan threw that thought out of his mind immediately and his eyes flew open.

Above him, the ceiling was not the elaborately painted mural he'd come accustomed to. Instead, it was a bare wooden ceiling that greeted him. Rising up to a seated position, Sasuke inspected the room that clearly wasn't his own. All that encompassed the room was the thin tatami he had been sleeping on, a stool, and a table with a water jug. Save for that the room was just as bare as he was since the multiple layers of his ceremonial kimono were strewn across the floor.

"Mmmmm." The voice beside him mumbled from underneath the sheets. "Did you want to go again?"

' _Shit!'_ Sasuke cursed as his unwanted companion slowly rose from the bed.

She sat next to him, completely unashamed of her naked form and rubbed her eyes with a lazy fist. Short black hair brushed the top of her slight shoulders where freckles from the sun marred her skin.

"They told me the main house Uchiha were insatiable but I didn't believe them." She yawned. "Just give me a second to wake up."

Sasuke cringed, unwilling to stay a second longer in her presence. How the hell did he get here to a room he didn't know? How did he come to share a bed with this woman? As quickly as he could, he stood up and proceeded to gather his garments and tie them as best as possible without the aid of assistants.

"You're sure in a rush to leave." The woman yawned and laid back down on the futon.

"I shouldn't have been here in the first place." Sasuke hissed, his mind racing for a reason as to _why_ he was there.

Never before had he gotten so drunk to lay with a woman. She had to have drugged his drink or something. The thought made him look up from fumbling with the inner ties of his kimono to glare at the stranger. Dark eyes rolled back at him.

"Don't look at me like that. I didn't do anything wrong. In fact, you seemed to enjoy yourself."

Sasuke felt his right eye twitch at her words and she smirked.

"Do you want to go again? I'll be her for you again if you like-"

"What?"

"We can go again-"

"No I mean _who_ are you talking?" Sasuke demanded, his mind starting to buzz with fuzzy recollection. The woman shrugged her shoulders.

"I don't know. You tell me who she is. You called her name out when you… _you know_ … Is she a crush?" She smiled, memories of the night before evident by the smug look. "You were good though. You can call me any name you want I won't even charge you extra."

' _Fucking hell.'_

Sasuke turned away from the woman and resumed dressing as well as he could. When he was sure that he wouldn't leave anything behind, he left the room without sparing a glance at the woman he'd spent the night with. Outside of the room, other weary men emerged from rooms along the hallway, causing the anxiety in the pit of his stomach to compound. He was at a _brothel_. How the hell did he wander into a whore house? If his mother were to catch wind of this…if his father….

Quickly Sasuke made his way down the stairs to the now empty bar room below. The vague feeling of recollections tugged at the back of his mind but it was hard to grasp onto. The only thing he could clearly remember was the slumped over figure currently sleeping at the bar in the navy ceremonial robes of the main house. His upper lip curled in distaste at Shisui's form and gave him a hard shove.

"Wake up." He growled.

Shisui slowly lifted his head from his arms and glared at his younger counterpart.

"Are you _finally_ ready to go Sasuke?" he asked with a yawn.

" _Finally?_ " Sasuke hissed incredulously. "I shouldn't even be here. Why the hell did you take me here?"

Shisui waved off his anger and slipped off the barstool.

"Take that attitude and shove it Sasu-bo. _You_ were the one that went upstairs. I just came here to drink with my men. The only reason I'm still here is because Itachi would kill me if I returned without you."

"Shisui-"

"Let's go. I paid the tab already but you should refrain from coming here on your own again."

Sasuke frowned but followed his cousin out of the bar and into the bright daylight of the District. He squinted at the harshness of the sun and continued forward, one painful step at a time. He would never return to this place that was for sure. He shouldn't have allowed Shisui to take him there all.

"Hey, Sasuke." Shisui said as they slowly made their way up the main road that would lead them back to the Shiro. "You know you can't have her right?"

"What are you talking about?"

Dark eyes narrowed at him for a moment before being replaced by a smile. Much to Sasuke's chagrin, an arm was thrown around his shoulders and Shisui continued to lead him back home.

"Man I am starving. Do you think there's any food left in the kitchens?"

 _ **The Twentieth Spring of the Hato**_

 _ **Uchiha District- Heir Wing**_

Standing in Itachi's bedroom was even more awkward when the sun was shining. Nervously, she shifted from one foot to the other as Mikoto's personal attendants collected the sheets. They inspected it for proof of consummation and once satisfied, took the sheets to prepare them to be burned at the shrine.

"They're so serious."

Hinata perked up at the sound of the voice and poked her head out of the room. Her two other 'gifts' stood beside one another, looks of curiosity on their faces as they watched the women leave. They only stared for a moment before the blonde noticed Hinata standing in the doorway. A broad smile spread over her face and she pulled the petite woman out of the room.

"Good morning Uchiha-san!" she said cheerfully. "We were worried about waking you but breakfast is getting cold."

Hinata blushed as they pulled her along and once more thought of Itachi. Where was he? How long had she been sleeping? Had he eaten breakfast already?

"Um…" Hinata started and the two girls blinked at each other before laughing.

"Oh! My name is Ino and this girl with a big forehead is Sakura!" the blonde provided while the one named Sakura scowled.

"My forehead is not that big!"

"Says you but everyone knows it is."

"Ino-"

"Um, Ino-san….Sakura-san…." Hinata said, hoping the two girls didn't start fighting right there in the hallway. "Where is Uchi- I mean Itachi?"

Ino and Sakura immediately forgot their quarrel and returned to lead her down the hall with mischievous grins.

"Uchiha-san already left to train with his men when the sun rose." Ino said and Sakura nodded along. "He says to tell you personally that he will be back to escort you to dinner. He's looking forward to seeing you again."

At that Hinata felt her entire face become inflamed. The girls fell into a fit of giggles and opened the door to the tea room where her breakfast was already laid out. They eagerly plopped her down in front of the mini feast, ooing and awing at the carefully laid out food. Though they were arguably the silliest maids she'd ever been around, Hinata felt their company to be a bit of a relief instead of being alone or with one of the Uchiha clan's staff. Her own lips twitched into an almost smile as they stared at her lifting her spoon.

"You…you don't have to watch me so closely." Hinata said softly. Ino and Sakura bashfully drew back and elbowed each other in the side, a silent admonishment between the two. "Have you had breakfast yet?"

"No-" Ino started but Sakura pinched her arm.

"We are fine Uchiha-san." Sakura said.

Ino nodded emphatically next to her but the loud growl of her stomach said otherwise. Hinata felt her smile widen and pushed a plate of sliced fruit in the direction of the girls.

"I can't eat all of this on my own." Hinata said. "Please help me."

"Uchiha-san-" they said hesitantly but Hinata shook her head.

"Also please call me Hinata."

Ino and Sakura exchanged a look with one another but the growling in Ino's stomach caused her to cave in first. She tentatively took an orange slice and Sakura followed suit. She wasn't satisfied with them until they split the large bowl of rice, only then did Hinata return to her bowl of now tepid miso soup.

"You know-" Ino started, her mouth full of rice. "You're a lot different than I expected."

"Ino!" Sakura hissed and the blonde shrugged her shoulders.

"What? It's true!"

"Still! You shouldn't be so bold! You just got here!"

"It's okay Sakura-san." Hinata giggled as she picked up an orange slice to offer it to her. "Please be comfortable with me."

Sakura eyed the orange suspiciously but accepted it.

"The old ladies are going to have a fit."

"Oh stop worrying forehead. What they don't know won't hurt them."

Hinata nodded to emphasize her agreement with Ino's rebellious statement. The attendants that served her mother-in-law were not here _all_ the time. Plus…it was nice to eat meals with other girls. Even _if_ they were as argumentative and silly as Ino and Sakura. Smiling, Hinata started the separate a plate of grilled fish into three and they dug in eagerly.

"So, what do you think?" Ino asked as she finished putting the final pin in her bun.

Hinata blinked as stared at their reflections in the mirror. On a normal day, she settled for a simple braid down her back. It kept her hair out of the way and was practical. Today, however, Ino had twisted half of it into a small bun and the rest flowed freely down her back. It wasn't a style usually seen within the District but it took nice.

"I like it." She said and Ino clapped her hands excitedly.

"I'm glad you do. I loved doing my cousins hair. I'm very good a braiding you know."

"Cousins?" Hinata asked and Ino slapped a hand over her mouth, blue eyes wide at the words she'd allowed to slip.

"Cousins? Did I say cousins? I mean…um…."

"Ino, it's alright. I know you had a family." Hinata said softly but Ino shook her head and started to open the jewelry box on the vanity. "Will you tell me about them?"

"My family isn't important Hinata-san." She said with a small smile. "Please…don't ask me again."

"Ino-"

"Uchi- I mean Hinata. Uchiha-san is here to accompany you to dinner." Temari called through the shoji door to her room.

"I'm coming!" Hinata replied and tried to get up from her vanity's bench. Though her concern for Ino's cryptic request did not leave her, she pushed it to the back of her mind.

"What? Wait!" Ino protested, a handful of expensive gold baubles clutched in her fist. "We haven't decided which of these you're going to wear tonight!"

Hinata sighed and eyed the hair accessories warily. She didn't want to wear anything extra on her head after her wedding day. The memory of the tsunokakushi's weight from the day before made her neck hurt. As diplomatically as she could she smiled at Ino and shook her head.

"Maybe I can wear them tomorrow?" She said hesitantly and Ino pouted.

"You promise?"

"I promise."

Ino smiled at the prospect and turned to put the baubles back into their cases. Hinata stood up from her vanity as she did so and smoothed at the few wrinkles in the pink kimono that Ino had picked out for her. The blonde had had enormous fun at her expense, making her try on kimono after kimono until they found one that satisfied her. Though it was a bit exhausting to be around someone as enthusiastic as Ino it was…nice.

"Wait Uchiha-san!" came the muffled voice of Sakura through the door. "You shouldn't go in-"

Hinata jumped in surprise as the door to her room opened to reveal Itachi with a smirk on his face. He leaned slightly in the doorway, crossing his arms over his chest as he looked her up and down.

"I thought you'd be undressed but I see you're ready to go." He chuckled and threw a wink in Ino's direction. "Your attendant is efficient."

The newly minted Uchiha blushed at Itachi's teasing and shuffled awkwardly across the room, pointedly ignoring a slack-jawed Ino. Itachi offered her his arm and she took it tentatively, allowing him to lead her past Sakura and Temari. Her heart fluttered as they walked past the door that led to his room, the memory of her failure from the night before still lingering in the forefront of her mind.

"Did you find a way to occupy yourself today?" Itachi asked as they stepped outside.

Swallowing her embarrassment, Hinata nodded. Temari, Ino, and Sakura were very good company to have around although the latter two of the three dominated the conversation. Itachi patted her hand and smiled.

"I'm glad you weren't bored." He said and an awkward silence fell between them.

Hinata bit her bottom lip, wracking her brain for something to say that didn't make her sound like a complete idiot. Training. Ino and Sakura had said that he'd left to train that morning!

"Did you have fun training?" she blurted out and Itachi chuckled.

"I wouldn't call my training fun."

"Oh…um…sorry." Hinata mumbled, mentally kicking herself for saying something so idiotic.

"It was a good session however." Itachi continued as if he didn't notice her mortification. "Our men are improving in their skills. Soon it will be time to start training the younger ones."

"Oh? How old were you when you learned to fight?"

Itachi paused in his walk and looked up at the orange and pink sky with a smirk.

"I was seven. My first battle was at thirteen."

"Thirteen?"

He nodded and pulled her away from the path that led to the main house and towards the rose bushes in the courtyard. There were a few early blooms, white roses tinted orange by the sunset. Mindful of the thorns, Itachi picked one of them and handed it to her. Hinata didn't accept it. Instead, she took a step back and let go of his arm.

"You started fighting so young." She said, her voice barely over a whisper.

"I have upset you-" Itachi started, his brows knitting together with concern but she shook her head.

"It…it's just you didn't get a chance to be a child."

Itachi smiled and motioned for her to come closer. She did so reluctantly, her heart clenching at the fact that he'd been fighting for most of his life. Firm hands gently rested on her shoulders and turned her body so that she faced away from him. He then carefully placed the rose he'd picked into her bun and turned her back around.

"Do not be sad little dove. I have always been happy to do what I must."

"Itachi-"

"Now tell me. What is something that makes you happy?"

Hinata pressed her lips together in a tight line as she studied her new husband's face. He was smiling down at her. Genuinely. Sincerely. Though he was little more than a stranger, seeing him like this make her heart skip a beat. One of his hands reached up and cupped her cheek, his thumb gently stroking her skin as he did so.

"If you frown like that you will get wrinkles." He said, slowly chipping away at the knot of anxiety in her stomach. "So tell me what makes you happy?"

A blush spread over her cheeks at his words, her heart fluttered erratically. Nervously she looked away and took a step back.

"Um…well…"

He crossed his arms over his chest and tilted his head slightly to the side. The Uchiha had been so kind to her already. There were still mountains of wedding gifts that she'd yet to go through. There were more kimonos than she could imagine being able to wear and jewelry so expensive she was afraid to touch it. They'd also given her Temari, Ino, and Sakura and although she didn't like to think of people as gifts they were definitely a pleasant surprise. The Uchiha had given her more than she could have ever asked for and yet…there was only one thing she wanted. The person she'd missed more than anything….

' _Hanabi'_

She hadn't been writing lately and neither had Neji but she knew that they had to be alright. As strange as it sounded she knew that she would feel it if something had happened to either one of them. Before something did happen, however, she needed to have Hanabi by her side. She'd made a promise all those years ago. Hinata pressed her hand against the opal necklace that was hidden beneath her kimono. She needed Hanabi.

"Well?"

"Hanabi." She said softly, her sister's name lip a whisper on her lips.

"Hanabi? Do you want firecrackers? We have plenty of them in storage-"

Hinata shook her head and bit her bottom lip. She didn't want to ask. She already had so much.

"Not the actual firecrackers. Hanabi is my little sister. I know it's a lot to ask but…she means a lot to me." She confessed.

Itachi nodded knowingly, a far-off look in his eye as he did so.

 _'My Commander's eldest son loves his little brother very much.'_

Was he thinking about Sasuke? If their positions were reversed would he want to keep Sasuke close? She wanted to ask him but was distracted by his hand taking her own and lifting the knuckles to his lips.

"Tell me more about your Hanabi and I'll see what I can do."

It wasn't a yes but it wasn't a no either. Requesting her unmarried sister to come to the District was a tall order. Their father and the elders would want to keep Hanabi for an advantageous marriage but maybe….maybe she could stay with her until those arrangements were made? Hanabi hated life in the compound. At least here she could be happy and by her side. Smiling, Hinata fell into step with Itachi and they slowly made their way to the main house.

"She'll be turning sixteen any day now but she still complains in her letters about having to eat her vegetables..."

 _ **The Twentieth Spring of the Taka**_

 _ **Uchiha District- Shiro**_

"Nice of you to join us."

Sasuke tilted his head to his mother who sat rigidly next to his father. A rare frown marred her usual happy features and unsettled him slightly. Actually, the fact that he was even summoned for a formal family dinner put him on edge.

"What have you been up to?" Mikoto asked as he came to take a seat across from his parents.

"I was training when your messenger came to get me." Sasuke said flatly. "I'm assuming you would have preferred I changed before I came to eat."

"No, you have been missing since yesterday. You didn't even attend the reception last night-"

"Oku-san." His father said. "He is young. He returned."

His words caused his mother to fall silent and Sasuke almost wished that he hadn't spoken at all. Although his words were strangely in defense of him he would have rather his mother keep up her worrisome antics. It meant that she cared. His father, on the other hand, did not. There was nothing he could do that would ever get his attention.

Sasuke could count the number of times he'd had dinner with his father on one hand. None of which had been a particularly enjoyable experience. When he was younger he used to beg his father to train him like he did Itachi.

One day he eventually stopped asking.

One day his father stopped showing up to dinner all together.

As a child, the absence had bothered him. As an adult, Sasuke couldn't care less but it was fortunate that he had arrived for dinner. The scroll from Danzo had been burning a hole in his pocket ever since he'd received it. His father's return did not make handing off his burden any easier since he was constantly tied up in other matters.

"Otou-san." Sasuke started, his hand reaching into the front of his kimono for the scroll.

"What is it?" his father asked.

"Ah here they come!" his mother gushed as the door to their rarely used family dining room was opened by an attendant.

Sasuke looked away from his father to see Itachi and Hinata entering the room. The approached the table hand in hand, a faint blush on her cheeks. Though his brother's face was impassive, Hinata was sporting a bright pink blush with a smile barely concealed by the sleeve of her pink kimono. The white rose in her hair was an odd addition but it...complimented her appearance.

"Itachi-kun, Hina-chan." Mikoto greeted and the two bowed respectfully.

There was a bit of an awkward pause as the two tried to decide where to seat but Fugaku cleared his throat and patted the pillow next to him.

"Come and sit next to me tonight Hinata. I did not get the chance to meet you when you first arrived here."

Hinata nodded and took the seat on his father's right without much hesitation. To Sasuke, this was not strange but what did catch his attention was the way his mother and brother tensed. Sasuke brushed off their odd behavior and rested his chin on his fist, his stomach protesting for food. As he longed for something warm to eat, his mother began to pour chilled black tea into everyone's cups.

"How have you adjusted to the District? This Shiro is certainly larger than your home in the Hyuuga Compound." Fugaku said and Hinata nodded.

"It is a lot bigger. I still get lost often." She said. Fugaku smirked and his head turned to the left to Mikoto.

"I remember you used to have trouble finding your way around as well Oku-san."

"This place is very big." Mikoto said flatly, taking a sip of her tea.

Fugaku's smirk didn't falter at her less than warm response. Instead, he returned his attention to Hinata and lifted her chin slightly with his forefinger and thumb. Sasuke felt tense at the contact and Hinata seemed to grow nervous as well.

"She looks like you when you were her age, doesn't she? Except for these eyes. These are definitely from the Hyuuga clan." He said thoughtfully as he turned her head to the left and right before pulling away. "So tell me Hinata. What can we do to make this place feel more at home for you? As Mikoto said, this place is very big."

Hinata blushed and her eyes fell to the table bashfully.

"Actually there is one thing…." she softly and when his father leaned closer Sasuke gripped the material of his kimono from under the table. He glanced over at Itachi but he was too busy drinking tea

"Tell me and it's yours."

"Actually…Itachi-san and I were talking about my…my sister-"

"Otou-san." Sasuke interrupted and pulled the scroll out from the inner pocket of his kimono.

He wasn't sure what came over him seeing Hinata so flustered. He shouldn't care. It was probably because he was still hung over from that morning and irritated with the questioning looks he'd been receiving all day. Yes…that was why he was irritated. Not for any other reason.

"This was sent by Danzo."

At the name of the one man above him, Fugaku leaned away from Hinata and held out his hand for the scroll. Itachi narrowed his eyes at the scroll as their father used a dagger from his pocket to break the seal. Dark eyes quickly scanned the scroll, taking in its contents with a speed that Sasuke would have found impressive if the air in the room hadn't changed so drastically. He opened his mouth to inquire about the information but his father was already on his feet.

"You're leaving." His mother said coldly.

His father did not reply. Instead silently left the room, nearly knocking over the attendants that were bringing in their dinner in his haste. Sasuke frowned at his departure and turned to his brother.

"Itachi what is going on?" he asked but in the same fashion as their father, Itachi ignored him.

"If you will excuse me." He said, clearly distracted as he left the room.

With his brother and father now gone, the attendants entered the room and nervously began setting their food on the table. Sasuke frowned as a bowl of rice was placed in front of him, suddenly no longer hungry. Something was going on.

"Kaa-san-" Sasuke started but his mother didn't look at him.

"Well, Sasuke-kun. Hina-chan. All this food can't go to waste." She said with a smile. "Make sure you eat a lot."

"Mikoto-san-" Hinata said, a worried look etched across her face.

Inwardly Sasuke felt the same concern. It wasn't as if this was unusual. There was always something going on just out of the periphery of his vision. If he turned his head fast enough he might be able to see it. To discover what they kept hiding from him… Sasuke felt his brows draw together in frustration but a dull clatter of chopsticks against the table snapped him from his thoughts. His mother was normally poised and perfect but now sat with her hand clutching the front of her kimono and her eyes squeezed shut.

"Mikoto-san!" Hinata gasped as she shuffled from her own cushion to check on his mother.

Sasuke found himself flying into action as well. Making it around the table just before his mother fell back. He held her in his arms, immediately alarmed at how feverish she felt through the silk of her kimono.

"I'll go get help." Hinata said as she made a move to stand but his mother grabbed her wrist.

"I'm fine Hina-chan, just tired-"

"Kaa-san-" Sasuke started but she was already removing herself from his hold.

"Don't Kaa-san me. I'm only a little tired. I think I will head to bed on my own." She said with a small smile as she rose to her feet. "You and Hinata should eat."

"Mikoto-san-"

"If you don't I'll know and then I'll be angry." Mikoto chuckled but it sounded hollow.

She left the room as graceful as ever but the cloud of worry remained long after the shoji door closed behind her. The food that had been brought for them was still hot but the smell of it made his stomach churn. His mother would know if he didn't eat, the attendants would tell her as much, but the lump in his throat kept him from so much as swallowing.

 _This_ was a scene that happened far too often.

For as far back as he could remember he'd been kept in the dark. Something was wrong but this time was not going to be the same. He was no longer a child that needed to be protected. Determination replaced the worry he felt for his mother as he rose to his feet. He felt Hinata's eyes bore into him as he crossed the room but he paid her no mind.

"Where are you going?" She asked just as his hand reached for the door.

"None of your concern-" he replied curtly but he could hear the rustle of her clothing as she stood up and walked over.

Slender fingers wrapped around his wrist with a grip that surprised him. He turned to look at her and found himself staring into eyes just as determined as his own.

"Your brother is my husband and I love Mikoto-san as if she was my own mother. If something is going on with them it is very much my concern."

Sasuke narrowed his eyes at her but the rejection he wanted to give her never emerged. It was hard to say no when she looked at him with those eyes. It made her all the more irksome since she didn't realize what she was doing.

"Fine." Sasuke grunted. "Just don't make any noise."

A broad smile spread over her face and she nodded her head eagerly. Sasuke cleared his throat awkwardly and looked away from her grateful expression. His eyes slid down to her small hand that still clutched his wrist and jerked his limb away. The suddenness of the gesture didn't phase her. She still had that dumb smile on her face as she moved to open the shoji door.

"Let's go Uchiha-san."

Sasuke froze, unable to move forward as her voice rang through his mind. Soft, almost like a caress. More intimate than it had any right to be. She looked back at him, her eyes curious and wide.

"Uchiha-san?"

' _Fuck'_

 _ **To be continued….**_

 _Discoveries of the unknown_

 _wrought regrets_

 _Ignorance births remorse_

 _(Unknown)_


	9. Chapter 9

**CCNote: I wish that I could update more frequently and with longer chapters, but I average only 1k a day with my word count (more if school isn't in session but oct-dec is a cluster fuck of busy). If you want longer chapters, you'll have to wait at least 2 weeks for anything over 8k. If you want faster updates, chapters will be 4k or less (emphasis on the less). I think once a week at 6-7k is a happy medium. After "From Here" it's so strange to not have daily updates huh? I'm glad y'all are so excited to read this story. I aim to please!**

 **ANYWAY, please enjoy this chapter and don't forget to leave a REVIEW!**

 **Seedling**

 _Discoveries of the unknown_

 _Wrought regrets_

 _Ignorance births remorse_

 _(Unknown)_

 _ **The Twenty- Fifth Spring of the Karasu**_

 _ **Uchiha District- Shiro Main House**_

There wasn't much that he questioned when it came to Uchiha Fugaku. His father was a proven strategist, an expert archer, and a warrior of the Uchiha that would be talked about long after he passed. Everything that he knew about his katana he learned from his father. How to move so fast that there was nothing to be seen but the hilt of his blade. How to slit a man's throat in such a manner that they didn't know they were dead before he finished slicing through.

He'd also learned other lessons.

How he didn't want to be. How he didn't want a silence to fall over everyone that crossed his path. How with each passing day the similarities he saw in the mirror grew. More than anything he learned the very first day he witnessed his father kill a man he knew that he would do the same. Over and over again and he would be good at it. He had no choice but to be.

"Dammit. I can't find it!"

Itachi snapped out of his thoughts at his fathers cursing and glanced at the stack of sealed scrolls on his tea room table. They looked as if they'd been rolled that morning. How fortuitous that for the first time in years his father was prepared before Danzo came knocking. Pressing his lips in a tight line he grabbed the bulk of them and crossed the tea room into his father's bedroom. Several of his trunks were in a state of disarray, the silks overflowing and pouches of foreign coins littered the floor. His father was currently digging through one of the trunks with a furry, carelessly tossing out the items that had no relevance to his current search but priceless in another's hands. Such was the way of a man that had everything.

"Otou-san." Itachi started and Fugaku grunted from inside of the trunk. "Is this what you are looking for? There's more in the other room."

His father immediately straightened and turned around, his expression hopeful but quickly morphed into a frown.

"Those are for you." Fugaku mumbled and this time Itachi adopted his frown.

"I can't take these."

"You can and you will."

Itachi looked down at the scrolls at his hands, the Uchiha seal stamped proudly where another's should be. Just seeing it on these documents looked sacrilegious. It made everything- everything- so much more real. With these scrolls… how many young men was he committing to die? Slowly, he turned the scrolls over and read the names of the clans they were addressed to.

The Inuzuka…Yamanaka…Aburume…Hyuuga….

They were all indebted to the shogunate and all ready to send their men into battle as soon as this scroll darkened their threshold. Their sons would be rounded up to serve for the honor and glory of fighting in what they believed to be a just fight. They would return to their clans better men but most would arrive on their shields and in shrouds.

"Otou-san." Itachi said, tearing his eyes away from the scrolls. "You should reconsider. Danzo is not one to be trusted. He refused to send reinforcements during the last conquesting until they weren't even necessary anymore-"

"He was being prudent. I would have done the same in his position. Sending out men in the dead of winter to fight in what looks to be a losing battle is not a smart move."

"It only appeared to be a lost cause because he acted too late."

"Itachi-"

"He sees you as a threat-" Itachi hissed and his father slowly rose to his full height, his nostrils flaring and anger in his eyes.

"We _are_ a threat. We have _always_ been a threat." He said evenly as he crossed the room. "Who is it that helped to create this great nation that enjoys a peace the world has only known for the last hundred years?"

Itachi frowned, his eyes narrowing.

"The Uchiha."

"When the battles were fought and we mourned the dead who took the greatest loss?"

"The Uchiha."

"And despite our service. Despite our sacrifice. Who was sent to edge of the nation and regulated to defend this land with it's dying breath."

"The Uchiha."

"Exactly." Fugaku said. "We are only getting what is owed to us."

"Otou-san, you can't possibly believe that Danzo will make you the emperor."

Fugaku chuckled and turned his back to Itachi to look out the window of his bedroom.

"Me?" he sighed. "A farmer does not plant seedlings in an orchard for himself to enjoy the shade. Take those scrolls and in a month's time begin rounding up the men we'll need, be discreet. I expect to see you by the next new moon. Be ready."

By the next new moon. That was such a short time away. Itachi closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose, mentally trying to organize the preparation he would need to take in order to be ready in that short amount of time. It felt as though he'd barely set foot in the District and already he was slated to leave. There was always another battle to fight. Always another place he was needed.

He let out a slow breath through his nose and looked back down at the scroll in his hand. The Hyuuga name was etched neatly underneath the Uchiha seal and slowly he was reminded of pale eyes that had been filled with happiness only moments ago.

' _Hanabi…I know it's a lot to ask but she means a lot to me.'_

He couldn't do much for his new wife, but this was something within his power. He could at least bring her the one thing she wanted. Now resolute, Itachi set the scroll on the table and turned back to his father.

"Otou-san. I have a request."

 _ **The Twentieth Spring of the Taka**_

 _ **Uchiha District- Shiro Courtyard**_

"Stay close."

"Okay."

"Not that close."

"Okay."

"Stop talking."

"Ommmmpphh."

"Shhhh." Sasuke hissed, his hand over his companion's mouth and her eyes narrowed menacingly.

He returned her glare with one of his own. Sneaking around with her was difficult enough as it was, it was only by luck that they'd made it out to the courtyard without being spotted by anyone. Now that they were just underneath the window to his father's bedroom, the stakes were even higher. As such, they were currently crouched in the bushes and trying not to make any noise.

With a pointed look to keep quiet, Sasuke removed his hand from Hinata's mouth and turned towards the window. He carefully peered into the window to see the contents of the room scattered haphazardly about. His father was in the room and it appeared as if he'd been looking for something but his back was tense and his attention on his brother. Itachi himself did not appear pleased with whatever their father had told him.

' _At least he tells him stuff._ ' Sasuke thought bitterly.

Pushing the slight to his pride aside, Sasuke pushed on the glass of the window. He was slow so as not to make the window squeak and once it was ajar he removed his hand and ducked back down. Unfortunately Hinata had found herself crouching closer to him than he was comfortable with. She was only a few inches away, her neck craned towards the window as if that would help her to hear their conversation better.

"What are they saying?" she asked but Sasuke shushed her.

"A farmer does not plant seedlings in an orchard for himself to enjoy the shade…"

His father's voice though faint was steadily growing louder…closer…

"….begin rounding up the men we need….new moon"

He was planning something. Something big.

"….Be ready….."

The window shut with a soft click and Sasuke let out a slow breath through his nose that he didn't realize he'd been holding. Pale eyes fell from the window to look at him expectantly as if he had all the answers. He didn't. He didn't know more than she did.

"Does…does this mean Itachi is leaving soon?" she asked softly…innocently.

Disappointment crossed her fair features, her pink lips forming a pout as soon as her teeth released them. What right did she have to be disappointed? She'd known Itachi for all of twenty-four hours and he'd known his brother a lifetime. Frowning, Sasuke stood up from their hiding place without a care if he was spotted. Even if he was seen by an attendant. Even if his father caught him eavesdropping. None of it mattered. He just had to get out of her presence.

"Uchiha-san." She called out, but he didn't turn around.

He didn't stop.

If he had he would have seen her looking at him with those wide pale eyes. He would have seen that small hand reach out to him. He would have stopped but he didn't. Instead, he kept moving forward, through the courtyard until he reached the inner wall. Until he reached the outer ring. Until the walls of the Shiro were far behind them and the forest was the only thing left to greet him. There the trees swallowed up the moon and plunged him into darkness….

… _. "You should be sleeping Sasuke."_

 _The eight-year-old pouted from his hiding place underneath his brother's sheets. He knew that he should have hidden inside of his trunk! Sure it was more cramped but if he'd removed all of the stuff inside of it he would have fit perfectly. Itachi chuckled as he approached the futon and sat down beside him._

" _How long are you going to hide from me Otouto?" he asked._

" _Forever!"_

" _Forever is a very long time and you are not a patient boy."_

" _I'm not a boy!" Sasuke protested, tugging part of the sheet from over his head so that he could glare at his smirking older brother._

" _No, you are not a boy." Itachi agreed as he reached out to ruffle the dark bangs on his forehead. "You are an Uchiha."_

 _Sasuke beamed under his touch and sat up on the futon._

" _The Uchiha are warriors right?"_

" _Yes, we are."_

" _So that means that I can come with you and Otou-san right?"_

 _Itachi frowned and the dismayed look on his face made Sasuke's own hopes diminish. It wasn't fair. Their father was always gone for long stretches of time. That didn't really bother him too much as long as Itachi was around. When their father was home he only trained Itachi. He only studied the family history with Itachi. Now…he was taking Itachi with him._

 _The youngest Uchiha couldn't help but feel troubled by their father's preference. Was there something wrong with him? Was he not smart enough? Not strong enough? Why…why wouldn't he look at him like he did Itachi?_

" _Sasuke," Itachi said gently as he began to smooth out his messy hair. "There is more to life than fighting."_

" _Yea like what?"_

" _Like learning to read and write for one. Meeting new and exciting people. Making new friends, you'll get to meet the emperor's son soon. Isn't that exciting?" He suggested but Sasuke wasn't convinced._

" _But I want to learn to fight like you."_

" _Do not try to be like me." He said firmly. "Be better than me."_

 _Sasuke pouted and crawled into his brother's lap like he used to do when he was smaller. This would be the last time he would see him for a long long time. The reality of that was finally starting to sink in. Maybe that was why their mother had been crying all day?_

" _Do you promise to come back so Kaa-san stops crying?" Sasuke asked and relished the vibration in his brother's chest when he laughed._

" _I promise to come back to you both. Always."…._

….Sasuke stared out at the slow-moving river, the memory of Itachi's first departure still fresh in his mind. Usually coming to this river helped him to clear his thoughts but he was finding no such relief at the moment. In the morning his father would leave. He'd take his closest advisors with him as he always did. He'd kiss his mother goodbye and off he'd go on yet another journey for kami knows how long. Itachi would leave not long after and the cycle would continue.

Again and again and he…he would remain the same.

….. _Two weeks later…._

"Oi! Sasuke-kun!"

"He's come to train!"

"Ha, he's come to pretend!"

Sasuke ignored the shouts of the Uchiha warriors. Everything they said was in jest. Nothing was malicious but it didn't help but chip away at a little bit of his pride. He'd never set foot on a battlefield. His blade had never tasted blood. It wasn't that he desired war but he wanted to prove himself. To prove that he was worthy of upholding the Uchiha name through more than talk with fat diplomats and their whores. To prove to his father that if he turned his head just once he might acknowledge him as well.

"Sasuke?" Itachi called out from a small grouping of men that had previously hidden his form from sight.

The Uchiha in question stopped midway from pulling a sword from the wall and turned to address his brother. His brother that was going to leave again. His brother that never did anything except continue to treat him like a child. Itachi pushed through his men that continued to snicker and their laughter only served to fuel Sasuke's irritation.

"What are you doing here?" Itachi asked. "Did Kaa-san forget to tell you that the dojo would be closed for the time being?"

Sasuke snorted and rolled his eyes. _Of course,_ she'd told him that the dojo was off limits but he really didn't care. He had a right to go anywhere he wanted in his own home. Itachi picked up on his defiance and pressed his lips together in a firm line.

"Sasuke." He started evenly, patronizingly. "This area is already full to capacity. If you would like to practice, this space will be free soon."

"What's so important that you need all of your generals and lieutenants in the Shiro's dojo?" Sasuke asked as innocently, tamping down the irritation that was mounting within him.

"Sasuke-"

He wasn't going to tell him. Itachi would never tell him anything.

"Since you're already here, why not train with me? I could use the practice."

"No."

"Why?"

The other men in the room murmured amongst each other, the sound of their voices rising within the confines of the dojo. Sasuke ignored them and turned to grab a sword off of the wall. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed a flash of something pink duck out of the entrance of the dojo but quickly turned back to his brother with the sheathed katana. He then tossed the blade to Itachi who caught it deftly with a frown.

"Are you really challenging me?"

"What does it look like _Aniki_?"

Itachi's frown deepened and turned away to walk to the center of the room. His men spread out to the perimeter of the room, jostling one another in an attempt to make space.

"Have it your way." Itachi said.

Sasuke blinked, surprised that his brother wasn't going to continue to deny him. He quickly shook off the feeling though and turned back to grab another blade from the wall. Now was not the time for surprise. He couldn't show his worth to his father but at least he could show his brother that he was no longer a child.

At the very least he could do that…

 _ **The Twentieth Spring of the Hato**_

 _ **Uchiha District- Heir Wing**_

The moon.

Never had something that had given her so much comfort throughout her life been so foreboding. Each twilight she held her breath and looked out the window, the moon slowly changing from waxing to half to waning. The Shiro and its inhabitants shifted with the moon as well. Itachi never came to their wing, instead, he was away in the main house speaking in hushed tones with generals on matters she was never to be privy to. The night she'd first met her father in law was also her last. By the next morning, he was gone and with him a quarter of the Shiro's staff.

At least that was what Ino and Sakura had told her. The two of them were proving to be big gossips but their reliability was still in question. Temari, on the other hand, was tightlipped. She neither confirmed nor denied their claims and instead tried to lead them down more neutral topics like what their mistress would wear for the day. Said mistress let out a sigh as Ino finished sticking the last gold bauble in her hair, a look of triumph on her fair face.

"There we go. There's no way he won't come to see you tonight if you look like this."Ino gushed and Hinata blushed, a mix of mortification and shame.

It had been two weeks since the day they'd been married.

Two weeks since she'd been too nervous to kiss him.

Two weeks since she discovered that the new moon meant a change.

She had to do something before he left. They had to consummate their marriage or it would not be seen as valid. Every day she saw the smoke billowing out from the Atami shrine she was reminded of her guilt. Of her failure.

"They're at the dojo!" Sakura shouted exasperatedly from down the hall, her feet thundering towards her room. "They're at the dojo."

"They? Who is _they_?" Ino shouted back.

"Sasuke!" Sakura squealed, sliding into the room with a huge grin on her face.

"Sasuke?!"

Hinata covered her ears as the two girls started to scream. She couldn't understand their infatuation with the youngest Uchiha. He was notoriously rude on a good day. There was nothing gentlemanly about him. Yet Ino and Sakura both rose with the sun just to catch a glimpse of him on his morning run around the outer ring of the courtyard. Temari couldn't understand them either. In fact, she'd taken to calling them-

"Idiots."

"Temari! Don't be like that! You know you want to come see too!" Ino pouted as she tried to fix her already perfect ponytail in the mirror.

"I will not be apart of your vapid schemes Ino."

"There are other guys watching the match as well." Sakura grinned. "Maybe one of them might change your tune."

"Men are the downfall of everything. It will do you both some good to remember that."

Hinata smiled at the twin grimaces Ino and Sakura sported but her amusement didn't last for long. One word from Sakura's statement stuck out to her and tugged at the back of her mind.

"Sakura-san." She started and the pinkette stopped glaring at Temari. "When you say match…who is fighting?"

"Oh! Sasuke and Itachi of course."

They were….fighting? Was this apart of training? Now feeling anxious, she stood up from her bench and ignored the giggles of her attendants. As quickly as she could under the obscene layers of silk Ino had wrapped her in, Hinata shuffled out of the Heir's wing and into the courtyard. Behind her, she could hear the stifled giggles of Sakura and Ino as well as Temari's grumbling but she paid them no mind. All she could think about was the 'fight' between brothers and how it filled the pit of her stomach with dread.

The walk to the dojo took longer than normal since she was encumbered by her kimono but as soon as they arrived in the hall she knew that something big was happening. Men were crowded around the door, filling the normally silent hallway with cheers and whoops. They didn't even notice her presence until she squeezed her way through.

"Excuse us!"

"Coming through!"

Sakura and Ino were more than willing to help her elbow her way through the small crowd and pushed her forward until the bodies thinned. Once she was through the first row of spectators she stumbled a bit on the hem of her kimono but somehow managed to keep from falling on her face with Temari's hard grip on her arm.

"I should have never let them dress you this morning. You aren't even able to walk." She grumbled and Hinata flashed her a weak smile.

"Have you ever seen anyone so…so perfect?" Sakura sighed and Hinata's attention was drawn back to her initial mission.

Before them the Uchiha brothers circled one another, their bodies tense and each step they took was carefully measured. It was a bit of a relief to see them even if the atmosphere was strained. Neither one of them appeared to be hurt and outside of the slight twitch of Sasuke's lips, it looked as though they were almost bored. Her eyes shifted back and forth between the two of them, wondering which of them would make the first move.

"Come on!"

"Don't be a coward!"

Hinata tore her eyes away from the standoff to glare at the men that kept making such rude remarks. It didn't matter who the statement was aimed at. They had no right to call either one of them a coward.

"Yea! There we go!"

Her head snapped back in the direction of the brothers just in time to see Sasuke unsheath his sword. He lunged at Itachi faster than her brain could react but her mouth moved of its own volition.

"Uchiha-san!" she said and his katana stopped just centimeters before it could touch the elder's nose.

The room's occupants fell silent. The sword didn't move until Itachi smirked and lazily pushed the blade away.

"You got distracted." He said gently as Sasuke resheathed the katana.

"You didn't move." He countered with a snort.

"Because I know that in the end, you will never strike me. Until the day comes when you are willing to kill a man, when you are ready to kill me, don't draw your sword Otouto." He replied simply and turned towards Hinata who stood nervously at the edge of the murmuring crowd. "Hinata."

She swallowed and nodded her head, the gold baubles jingling as she did so. Although his eyes were kind she felt as if she'd done something wrong. The men that had gathered in the dojo either began to busy themselves with other matters or slowly trickled out as he walked towards her.

"What are you doing here? This area is off limits."

"I…um I-" she stammered, all excuses that she could use fading from her mind.

Suddenly a warm hand grabbed her own and she looked over to see Temari standing steadfastly beside her. The older girl gave her hand a squeeze and Ino grabbed her other hand while Sakura shuffled up next to her.

"We were curious about the dojo Uchiha-sama." She said.

"Yes, we begged Hina- Uchiha-san to let us see." Sakura added. "We have heard of the prowess of the Uchiha and we wanted to see for ourselves."

Itachi smirked and crossed his arms over his chest.

"I see. However, you shouldn't make demands of Hinata."

"Yes, sir." They chorused with heads bowed and Hinata couldn't help but feel guilty.

They didn't make any demands of her. She'd come here of her own volition but as it always seemed when she was in Itachi's presence her tongue became tied and her brain muddled.

"Since you are here, let's go for a walk." Itachi said with a smile and offered her his hand.

Taking that as their cue to leave, Ino and Temari immediately released her and took a step back.

Hesitantly she took his hand and he leaned down to kiss it. There were snickers from a tall man that looked vaguely familiar to her but he turned around as soon as Itachi straightened his back. Hinata stared at the man curiously. She had seen him before…somewhere.

The memory of his face was uncanny but she couldn't grab onto where she could have met him. There were very few people she'd even had the chance to meet before she came to the District. The man seemed to notice her staring and he winked cheekily at her just as Itachi led her out of the room. Perfectly white teeth grinned back at her with eyes that held a joke only he was privy to.

' _My Commander's eldest loves his brother very much.'_

The words from long ago crept back into her mind with the same countenance and care as the day she was thirteen years old. When a visitor from the Uchiha clan had come to speak with her father. When Hanabi was willing to do anything just to catch a glimpse. Hinata sighed and closed her eyes, hoping to relive the memory of her childhood only briefly. She didn't usually wallow in the past…it hurt too much but seeing that smiling man was like a trigger. He reminded her of Neji's distant warmth and Hanabi's willful spirit. He brought back nights when she should have been asleep and the sunflowers that grew taller than her father…

"Something is on your mind." Itachi said and her eyes snapped open at the sound of his voice.

"Oh. I'm sorry." She mumbled, blushing at her own absentmindedness.

Itachi chuckled and gave her hand a gentle squeeze of reassurance. The courtyard gardens were quiet as they walked slowly down the meticulously manicured grounds. Not even birds dared to chirp overhead. Since the news of the Uchiha army's return, the courtyard had been a bustle of activity but now…now there was nothing but silence. They walked together slowly without disturbing the peace, each step easing her own anxiety until they reached the koi pond.

Itachi stopped at the edge of the water and pulled out a small pouch from the inside of his kimono. He released her hand to hold the pouch with both hands and pulled on the drawstring. The fish swam hungrily up to the water's edge as he did so, eager for whatever treat he'd brought for them.

"I didn't feel hungry this morning, but these guys seem to like it." He said as he gently tossed bits of cooked rice into the water. He then handed her the pouch and raised an eyebrow. "Would you like to try?"

"Um- "she started but he'd already grabbed her hand and pressed the pouch into her palm.

Awkwardly she blushed, now highly aware of how cumbersome it was to move in her kimono up to the water's edge. Without asking for permission, Itachi placed a hand on her lower back and guided her up to the very edge of the water. From there he moved behind her and started to gently pull the heavy gold ornaments out of her hair.

"I don't believe your attendants begged that hard to let them see the dojo. They seem to enjoy dressing you up." He chuckled and Hinata blushed.

She was embarrassed to be so overdressed on a regular afternoon but if it got Itachi's attention was it really that bad? As her blush began to recede she threw the cold, soft rice out to the fish who gobbled up the grains eagerly. Bright red and gold fish brushed the top of the water, their mouths gaping for more in such a silly way that she couldn't help but smile. When the last of her jewels were gone and the rice was eaten, Itachi moved back to her side of sighed.

"So, tell me. Why did you come to the dojo?" he asked.

Hinata bit her bottom lip. She'd been worried. Worried about him. Worried about Sasuke. If she was being honest she was mostly worried about the younger brother. He'd been so angry the night they'd eavesdropped on Fugaku's conversation. She didn't want to tell Itachi _why_ she was worried though. If she did she would have to admit that she and Sasuke had been spying. If she did she might get Sasuke into trouble. As much as he already disliked her, she didn't want to give him yet another reason to feel that way. Awkwardly, Hinata cleared her throat and looked for something else to draw the conversation away from her own transgressions. The glint of his katana's gold hilt caught the sun and drew an idea to the forefront of her mind.

"You are good with a sword?" she asked clumsily.

Itachi smirked, a knowing look in his eye as he handed back all of her hair ornaments. She accepted them gratefully and prayed that he fell for her change of topic.

"I have never lost."

Hinata nodded. If he lost he'd be dead or at the very least maimed. She shuddered at the morbid thought.

"Have you ever held a sword?" he asked and she shook her head.

She couldn't imagine holding something so dangerous. Something that could end a life.

"How many people have you killed?"

The question slipped from her lips faster than she could stop herself but once it was out there she couldn't take it back. _Of course_ he'd killed people. The spoils that had come in by caravan for weeks on end was a testament to the Uchiha conquest. This gold didn't come into their possession for free. The price of it was weighted in blood. Itachi didn't appear phased by her question, however. Instead, he folded his arms across his chest and turned to stare out at the pond.

"I've killed more men than I care to remember but it's difficult not to." He admitted and a slight shiver ran down her spine.

"Is that the reason you don't sleep?" she blurted and covered her mouth with her hand. Itachi smirked and gave her a short nod.

"One of many reasons. Taking a life is a burden that can never be lifted little dove."

Hinata lowered her hand from her mouth and followed Itachi's line of sight out to the pond. There was nothing remarkable there but he saw something in the water that she couldn't. Something she never wanted to see. It haunted him at night and during the day, the ghosts of the men he'd felled.

' _Until the day comes when you are willing to kill a man, when you are ready to kill me, don't draw your sword Otouto.'_

"You really do love him don't you?" she said as she handed him back his empty pouch.

Itachi looked at her curiously, his head cocked slightly to the side.

"Who are you talking about?"

"Uchi-Sasuke…" she stammered and blushed. His name felt weird to even say. Without the formalities, without the malice, it just felt…odd.

"Ah." Itachi sighed in understanding. "Sasuke has been trying to challenge me since the day he could pick up a blade on his own. He's decent with a sword. He could be better with time and practice of course."

She knew that she shouldn't. She wasn't Sasuke's advocate and least of all his friend. Yet the hurt she saw in his eyes that night tugged at her heart.

"He wants to be included. With you and Uchiha-sama. I think…I think it hurts him to be left out."

"Did he tell you that?" Itachi asked and she shook her head, keeping her reasoning close to her chest. The Uchiha frowned and held out a hand to lead her away from the water. She accepted his hand gratefully and followed him back onto the path.

"It is not my intention to hurt Sasuke. However, if the worst pain he feels is a slight to his pride then so be it." He said. Though his words were even, his face unreadable, she could feel how uncomfortable this information was making him. Hesitantly, Hinata squeezed his hand and gave him a small smile.

"One day he will know how much you love him." She said softly. "Maybe."

At that Itachi smiled. A true genuine smile that was almost as dazzling as the sun. She stared at him, her own smile slipping as she marveled at what was surely a rare sight. When he smiled he didn't look so tired or stern or intimidating. When he smiled he looked almost happy.

"Here's to hoping little dove." He laughed and led her back towards the Heir wing where she belonged.

"He's a bit of a brat though so it may take a lifetime before he realizes it. Still…I'd rather he stay this way."

He then raised her hand to his lips and winked. Her heart skipped a beat in her chest.

"Help Kaa-san spoil him enough for the both of us while I am away."

….. _The Next Morning…._

 _Away._

The word stabbed at her heart and made her roll over in her futon with a muffled groan. It was real now. Itachi was leaving now. For how long she had no idea. She was too afraid of the answer to ask. It had only been twenty-four hours since he'd told her the fact that he'd been leaving. Twenty-four hours since she'd swallowed her misgivings and smiled so he didn't know how disappointed she was. Twenty-four hours since Ino, Sakura, and Temari had returned to the Heir wing in hopes that Itachi would be there. He wasn't.

He didn't return for dinner either.

That night she waited and waited until she fell asleep. When she awoke it wasn't to the sound of him entering the wing or his own attendants shuffling about to prepare him for bed. No, when she awoke it was due to sharp pain in her lower stomach and blood on her sheets. So much blood and shame. All she could do was grab her menstrual rags from her trunk and pin them together so she didn't ruin the futon more than she already had. She then changed into a clean yukata and laid herself back down though sleep never found her again. Mortified, Hinata rolled over onto her back and stared up at the ceiling, wincing as a cramp shot through her.

"Hinata-san, I'm coming in." Temari called from behind the shoji door.

The sound of the door sliding in its track was louder than it should have been. Temari's presence was more irritating than usual although she'd done nothing wrong.

"Breakfast is ready Hinata-san." Temari said as she approached the futon.

"I'm not hungry." Hinata replied and pulled her blankets up over her head.

"You barely ate dinner last night-"

"Please…I'm not hungry."

"Hinata-san-"

"Is she sick?" a deep voice interrupted and Hinata froze beneath her cocoon. Itachi was _here._

"Uchiha-san!" Temari gasped but coughed to conceal her surprise. "I'm not sure. Hina- Uchiha-san are you sick?"

"I'm fine!" Hinata called back but didn't lift the sheets from over her head.

Heavy footsteps approached her futon, the tatami crinkled beneath them. Itachi sat down on her futon with a grunt and a hand gently pulled at her sheet. She allowed him to take it off of her head even though she wanted to crawl into a hole at the moment. Even Itachi's kind expression did nothing to ease her discomfort this time. Her displeasure only increased when he reached out and placed one hand on her forehead and another on his own.

"You aren't running a fever." He mumbled. "Are you sure that you aren't sick?"

"I…I'm not sick…I'm just not hungry."

Itachi stared at her curiously for a moment. For the first time since meeting him he wasn't able to read her mind and for that she was grateful. Dark brows furrowed momentarily as if trying to figure her out but in the end, he sighed and patted her thigh under the sheets.

"If you're not hungry, I will give you your present now. Can you make it out of bed for that?"

The prospect of a gift _was_ appealing. Awkwardly she nodded and shifted on her futon to sit upright.

"I should dress first." She said and Temari began to move to her trunks but Itachi waved her off.

"I must leave in an hour. For now, you are fine as you are."

"You're leaving today? Already?" Hinata frowned and Itachi smirked.

"I should have told you yesterday but something came up. This is my goodbye."

Goodbye…this was goodbye…

Her eyes burned unreasonably but she blinked away the sensation. Itachi helped her rise from the futon and together they left her room. He then led her down the hall and out to a back door that led to their own private courtyard. The Heir wing's garden was bare. None of the flowers from the main courtyard colored its grounds but the grass was still cut and the trees kept manageable. However, though the yard was unimpressive, sitting in the middle of the path was a golden cage. Inside the cage, two white birds cooed side by side. They flapped their wings briefly as she and Itachi drew closer and a breath caught in her throat.

' _Doves.'_ She thought.

She'd never seen doves in real life. She'd only read about them as birds of peace as written by poets in scrolls and painted upon tapestries.

"I intended this to be a wedding gift but it's better late than never." Itachi said as he pulled her closer to the cage. "This will have to suffice as a goodbye gift instead."

"They're beautiful." Hinata breathed and poked a finger through the bars of the cage.

The birds looked at her finger, their heads cocking back and forth as they tried to understand the foreign intrusion. One of them nipped at the side of her finger and although its beak didn't draw blood it still hurt. She couldn't blame the doves. If someone had stuck a finger in her face it would be hard for her not to want to bite them as well. If she was in a cage she would be even more irritated.

"Careful." Itachi chuckled. "They do bite."

"I see!"

She smiled and admired the birds, the urge to touch them satiated. They were absolutely beautiful. Pure white and small. She couldn't understand how Itachi called her 'little dove' when actually doves were so pretty.

"Now while this is a goodbye gift. I will have to bring you something else for the wedding." Itachi said, breaking her thoughts and drawing her attention back to him.

"What? This is enough. I don't need more."

She really didn't. All of the silk and gold was more than enough. She still felt guilty that her own attendants were 'gifts'. Itachi shook his head at her protest and crossed his arms over his chest.

"If I recall you desire firecrackers."

"Ha-Hanabi?" she stammered, her sister's name instantly lifting her mood. Itachi nodded with a smile.

"I am to pick up young recruits from the Hyuuga clan in two weeks time if the weather permits." He said and her heart leaped with excitement as he pulled a sealed scroll from his sleeve. "This is a request signed by my father before he left. Your sister will become a ward of the Uchiha district until a day comes that she finds an advantageous match, with the approval of the Hyuuga of course. We will pay for her dowery and in return, the Hyuuga only need to give their blessing. If everything goes as well as I believe it should, she should be with you before the season changes."

Hinata gapped at him. This was too much. This was absolutely too much to ask. Yet, _Hanabi_ would be here. Although Itachi would be gone her bed would still be warm and her sister's laughter would echo through the halls of the Heir wing. She would love her attendants and maybe even Sasuke would warm up to her. The little corner of guilt that had plagued her heart since the day she left the Hyuuga compound lifted as blood rushed fiercely through her veins.

Hanabi was finally coming to the Uchiha district.

"Itachi," she started but the words she wanted to say, the gratitude her heart wished to express, was unable to form on her tongue.

Instead, she took a step towards him and tentatively grabbed the front of his kimono. Slender, pale fingers curled around the black silk as she stood on her toes and leaned up as far as she could go.

 _ **To be continued…..**_

 _Into the ancient pond_

 _A frog jumps_

 _The sound of water_

 _ **(Basho)**_


	10. Chapter 10

**CCNote:** **Enjoy and don't forget to leave a REVIEW! Your comments always make me so happy!**

 **Freedom**

 _Into the ancient pond_

 _A frog jumps_

 _The sound of water_

 _ **(Basho)**_

 _ **The Twentieth Spring of the Taka**_

 _ **Uchiha Shiro- Courtyard**_

… _ **..**_

"It's a beautiful day isn't it Sasuke-kun?"

"Hn."

His mother paused in the middle of their walk and cut him a dirty look. She was a sweet, headstrong woman but she could be menacing when she wanted to be. Sasuke sighed and patted the hand she had tucked into his elbow.

"It's a very beautiful day Kaa-san." He said and his agreement placated her for a time.

His statement wasn't a lie. The sky above them was the bluest he'd seen in months. There wasn't a cloud to mar the azure expanse. Many of the flowers in the garden had just begun to bloom and birds chirped happily from the flowering branches of the sakura trees. In the pond, the koi fish were growing large and docile and provided endless amusement to passersby. It was indeed a beautiful day and yet he was unable to enjoy it. An uneasy calm had settled over the Shiro since the day his father had left the District. It was a calm that kept him on edge even though there was no threat. Even though if there was a threat he would be utterly useless.

' _Because I know in the end you will not strike me.'_

Itachi was wrong.

He would have been successful in his attack if Hinata hadn't entered the room. If the way she said his name hadn't tumbled from her lips and distracted him. Those soft looking pink lips that pouted when she was disappointed or were abused by her own teeth when she was nervous. Sasuke frowned and shook his head. It was all that girl's fault that he failed. It was because of her that he made a fool of himself in front of Itachi and his generals. That embarrassment alone made him want to banish every thought that had crossed his mind about the girl. If he had any chance of convincing Itachi to take him along all of that had gone up in smoke with a simple _'Uchiha-san.'_

"Sasuke-kun." His mother said. "There's something on your mind."

"It's nothing-" he started but the look in her eyes told him not to lie.

The only woman in his life more infuriating than Hinata was his own mother. Sighing, he paused their walk just under a tree and looked out towards the Heir Wing in the distance. Itachi was there now preparing to leave…again. Warm, familiar arms wrapped around his waist from his right side and squeezed. He narrowed his eyes at his mother as she held him like a child. Only the top of her head was visible now. He was no longer her baby-

"Sasuke-kun it's okay to miss your brother but do not be angry with him. He does as he is supposed to, as should you."

"Which means that I should do nothing."

"Sasuke-"

"As everyone else goes off to fight battles, I'm kept here as a pet." Sasuke frowned and his mother squeezed harder.

"You're not a pet." She said firmly. "You're my son and if anything happened to you-"

"I know." Sasuke conceded and awkwardly placed a hand on top of her head.

The last thing he wanted was for his mother to get herself worked up. After the disastrous family dinner two weeks ago he never wanted to see her become so flustered again. If he could help it he would do anything to keep this peace, as uneasy as it was, and give her time to fully recover.

"Uchiha-sama!" a haggard voice called from just behind them. "Uchiha-sama!"

His mother pulled away from him slightly and turned to face the person calling out for her. Sasuke turned as well to find a surprisingly frightened looking attendant running their way. The elderly man shuffled forward as fast as he could, all of the color drained from his wrinkled face. A sharp pain stabbed at his forearm, causing Sasuke to look down. His mother's fingers gripped him tightly, the nails digging into his skin hard enough that she could draw blood at any minute.

"Uchiha-sama!" the elderly man panted once he'd finally made it to them. He then threw himself at their feet with his nose in the dirt and his body wracked with sobs. "Uchiha-sama! Uchiha-sama!"

His mother dropped down to her knees as well, her grip slipping down to his wrist but still tight. Sasuke felt his own heart sink in his chest as he witnessed the sight before him. His mouth grew dry and the sobs of the messenger couldn't be heard over the ringing in his ears.

' _Otou-san…'_

… **.**

 **The Twentith Spring of the Hato**

 **Uchiha Shiro- Heir Wing**

… **..**

His lips were soft when pressed against her own but she wasn't quite sure what to do next.

Should she move? Should he?

Was this all there was to kissing?

She had vague memories of her mother and father kissing when she was younger. It was nothing too passionate but it always left a smile on her mother's face. She'd kissed Neji on the cheek before and that made him smile in his own way. His lips curled slightly upwards and the stoic mask he wore was removed for only a second. She'd kissed Hanabi all over her face from the moment she was born and it always sent her into a fit of giggles which later turned into a preadolescent embarrassment. She still smiled even though she claimed that she was too big for kisses. Yet, when she lowered herself from the tips of her toes and opened her eyes, she found that Itachi wasn't smiling. If anything he just looked…concerned. Or at least that was what she got from his expression since he wasn't actually looking _at her_.

Had she done something wrong? Was she being too forward?

"I…I'm sorry." She said softly. "Itachi I-"

"Itachi." A deep voice said from just behind her.

She whirled around to see Sasuke standing with a deep frown on his face and a scroll gripped tightly in his hand. Hinata blushed and warily watched as Itachi took the scroll from his brother. The air between them was tense and their faces more serious than she'd ever seen. The black seal of the scroll was deftly broken by Itachi's thumb and unfurled smoothly to reveal the message inside. It took only a few seconds before Itachi lowered the scroll to his side.

The world stood still around them until Sasuke slowly bowed deeply at the waist in a sign of submission and acknowledgment. Confusion and worry settled into the pit of her stomach. From underneath her thin yukata, her mother's necklace grew cold. Sasuke rose from his bow stiffly, his attention solely focused on Itachi as he spoke words that raised goosebumps over her skin.

"The generals are already waiting…Commander."

 **…..**

The dojo was much too small to hold the audience of the crowd Itachi had gathered within the courtyard of the Heir wing of the Shiro. Men stood at attention in their full regalia, their eyes trained only on their new leader and their hearts set on the mission at hand. Hinata felt her own heart skip a beat as she watched Itachi approach the crowd outfitted in his own armor. The black and red plates of his armor gleamed in the spring sun and she couldn't help the sense of dread that settled in the pit of her stomach. She _should_ be focused on her own role as the new matriarch of the Uchiha clan. Instead she was crouching near a window with two of her attendant as they tried to glean as much information from the gathering of warriors as they could.

Itachi stood before them in a way that was more intimidating than she had ever seen. Gone was the man that brought her deserts on their wedding night. Gone was the man that delighted in the simple pleasure of feeding the koi fish in the pond. In his place stood the man he had always been. In his place stood the new Commander.

"There has been an assault upon our clan." Itachi began. His voice was measured and rang out over the assembled crowd of generals. "Will we allow this to stand?"

"No!"

The rejection was loud and fierce and pierced straight through to her heart. Itachi appeared unfazed by their fervor, dark eyes scanning the crowd calmly.

"Gather your men. Train them well. When I see you again I expect to see you flanked by men that rival your own skill."

"Wow." Ino breathed next to her. "Is this what the start of a war looks like?"

"Hush Ino." Sakura hissed. Behind them Temari scoffed and the sound caused all three of the girls to turn around.

"Are you two going to keep gawking at soldiers or are you going to start helping me get Hinata packed?"

Hinata blinked up at her eldest attendant before the words she was saying started to connect. Pack. They were packing. They were leaving the Heir Wing. _She_ was now the new matriarch of the Uchiha. She swallowed thickly and stood up from her hiding place by the window. The power that came with being the matriarch. The honor. The submission of others. None of it mattered. In this moment the only thing she could think of was her mother in law.

"Mikoto-san." She breathed and before her attendants could stop her, she was already making her way out of the room.

' _Mikoto-san.'_

… **..**

 _ **The Sixteenth Spring of the Suzume**_

 _ **Hyuuga Compound- Main House**_

… _ **..**_

Back straight they said.

Eyes forward.

She shouldn't breathe too loudly nor should she speak out of turn. Every move she made was to be conservative. Tactful. Graceful. She was none of those things.

Yet…she sat stiffly with her legs tucked underneath her and her eyes downcast to the table. Direct eye contact was forbidden now that she was an adult. She was no longer a child, they said, she had to act accordingly. As the new Hyuuga matriarch, it was her duty. She wanted to cry. She wanted to yell but she couldn't. Not when her father finally looked as if he could breathe for the first time in sixteen years.

Hanabi bit the inside of her cheek, her nails digging into her palms. Why was he doing this? Was this momentary relief worth the potential mutiny of their people? Was it worth his life?

"Are you tired Hanabi?" Neji asked in a low voice.

The teen shook her head as best as she could under the weight of her tsunokakushi although it was a lie. She'd been tired every day since she turned sixteen. Ever since she learned that she would marry Neji. Her father tried to mitigate the stress of her upcoming nuptials by letting her train in the Hyuuga fighting style. He knew that she was unhappy with the arrangement but what choice did he have? It was either send her away to a stranger or _this._

Arguably speaking marrying Neji was a better alternative. It solidified his claim as the future leader of the clan. It made her father feel secure in the future despite the ardent protests of some of the elders. Their protests didn't matter anymore. The contract was signed and sealed with their blood before their ancestors.

… _Why did she have to have the misfortune of being born a girl?_

 _If she were born with something else between her legs her father would not have to worry so much. The elders would not barter how little she was worth. They wouldn't fight about what small influence she could garner if she married outside of the clan. They wouldn't defy her father and speak so ill of him behind his back._

 _If she'd been a boy she would inherit the clan outright and while marriage still wouldn't be within her own control she wouldn't feel as though she were rice being sold at market for the highest bidder. Hanabi frowned as she slipped between houses, the shadows they casted were like old friends over her slight frame that welcomed her with open arms and hid her from view. As the houses became less compact, the blacksmith's abode came into view and she picked up her pace. The uncooked rice and slightly burned bread bumped against her side as she quickly slipped around the house and to the backyard._

 _As usual, she would wait in the bushes for the blacksmith's daughter Tenten to come wandering out. She'd show her how to throw a kunai better than her father and the latest weapon she'd been working on. It was the only thing she had to look forward to these days that didn't make her feel as if she were burdensome and guilty. It used to be her elder sister's letters that made her happy, but she hadn't opened a scroll from her in weeks. She was too ashamed. How was she supposed to tell Hinata that she would no longer be able to come to the Uchiha District? How could she tell her that she was getting married?_

 _The parchment she would use was still laid out on her writing desk, the ink prepared and the brushes ready. Yet every time she tried to write to her sister she couldn't put the ink to paper. She felt pathetic and cowardly each time she gave up, but it wasn't enough to push her through with completing her task. Instead she snuck out like now just to get away from it all._

 _Sighing, Hanabi settled herself in the bushes and waited until she could hear the telltale sound of Tenten's feet crunching over the grass. The sound came soon but it was louder than usual. Hanabi almost popped out to reveal herself but a voice of someone she was supposed to be avoiding reached her ears._

" _Ten." Started the deep voice of her cousin but the woman in question cut him off._

" _I really didn't want to believe it." Tenten said, her voice strained and low._

" _You knew that this day would come eventually. Even if I remained a branch member, my marriage would have still been arranged within the clan-"_

" _You knew that as well so why did you continue to come here in the first place?!" Tenten spat. "Does it make you feel better to play with a peasant girl?"_

" _Tenten."_

" _I am not your plaything Hyuuga-sama. I may not have much but I at least have my dignity and I'd like to keep as much of it in tact as possible."_

 _There was a bit of rustling and Hanabi took a chance to peek through the bush she was hiding behind. She had no idea that Neji left the inner ring of the compound let alone knew that Tenten existed. How did they meet? Why were they so close that he'd taken it upon himself to visit the girl in the middle of the night? At the moment he had a firm grip on her upper arm and an unfamiliar sad look in his eye. There was history there, a tale that Hanabi knew she shouldn't be privy to._

" _I'm not angry." Tenten said softly although her voice waivered. "Hanabi is a nice girl. If I'm being honest I guess I'm just jealous. I knew in the beginning that I could never be more to you and yet I still reached. I only have myself to blame."_

 _She stepped away from Neji and turned her back to him so that she could return to her home. Neji's hand fell lamely to his side, his privilege to touch her was gone._

" _Tenten-"_

" _I'm sorry Hyuuga-sama. Please leave."_

 _Guiltily, Hanabi ducked and bit down hard on the inside of her cheek. She was the reason they were fighting? Of course. She was the reason the elders were constantly fighting with her father. She was now the reason Neji was fighting with Tenten. Kami she was constantly fucking things up with her very existence. The teen backed away from the scene before her, unwilling to partake in anymore of their conversation until her back hit the rough bark of a tree. She looked up at the massive tree curiously and marveled at how it grew taller than the outer wall it bordered. Its branches reached over the wall in a teasing way._

 _Only a few of its limbs would ever know true freedom…_

… "Come Hanabi." Neji said, breaking her from her thoughts.

He held out a hand to help her stand, but she evaded the gesture. Her feet felt as though a million needles were stabling into the sole but she would stand on her own two feet. This was the last thing she would be able to do on her own while she could. Once she was standing, she waited for the obligatory toast from her father to commence. She didn't listen to his words. Nothing he said mattered anyway.

Slowly, she and Neji made their way through the compound to a larger room that was meant for them to reside until her father stepped down. That abdication would be much sooner than she'd like but at least he was happy.

Until that time, she and Neji were to reside together as husband and wife. The room they would now share was simple. Her trunks of kimonos had been moved in as well as Neji's. Their bedding was already set out to wait for their arrival and when the door closed behind them they were left with nothing but silence. Silence was something that she detested the most but in recent days it was her only amicable companion. It wasn't that Neji wasn't nice to have around. She loved him, not as much as she loved her sister but more than anyone else. Neji would be a good husband but she didn't want him as her own.

She didn't want to be married at all.

"Hana." Neji started. The use of her childhood nickname lifted her head in his direction and reminded her that they were now alone. "Tonight…I…"

He looked calm as he spoke but she knew on the inside he was torn. They'd come this far. There was only this last step to go for them to be man and wife. However, he stood next to her and stared at the futon they were supposed to share and neither one of them could move. It wasn't that she was scared. She knew that he wasn't afraid either. Neji usually wasn't afraid of anything which was why she loved him so much but tonight he was hesitant.

Scoffing she removed her tsunokakushi and tossed it to the floor. With that weight gone she moved across the room to the window and slid it open. A warm summer breeze wafted into the room and she sighed at the scent that it brought.

"I think Tenten is still awake." Hanabi said. "If you go through here, no one should see you. Stay close to the wall and you'll find the opening you need but you knew that of course."

Neji frowned at her instructions, displeased that she knew so much about the ins and outs of the compound and his affair. She shrugged casually in response. There was no way she was going to tell him _how_ she knew these things.

"If you hurry you can make it back before the sun rises and no one will know you were gone." She sighed and sat at what was to be her new vanity.

Carelessly she began to remove the pins from her hair and set them down on the polished mahogany. She glanced at the mirror before her and almost jumped at the sight. A woman she didn't recognize, but equally surprised, stared back at her. She had big white eyes like her own that had been heavily lined. Her lips had been painted red and her features powdered white to give her an even complexion.

This was the face of a Hyuuga matriarch. A face that was beautiful. Hanabi grimaced at the thought and brought her sleeve up to her face to begin wiping the makeup from her features. In the morning branch members would chide her for ruining her wedding kimono but she didn't care. Behind her, Neji chuckled and came up to help her remove her hairpins.

"There's our Hanabi." He smirked at her now messy face. She stuck her tongue out at their reflection and his smirk turned into an almost smile.

"What you still doing here? If you stay for too long you will be caught." She chided as she sloppily used her sleeve to remove more of her make up. She used her free hand to swat him away from removing more of her hairpins.

"I'm going. I'm going." Neji huffed and started to move but she caught the sleeve of his kimono.

He turned back, a confused look in his eyes as she motioned for him to kneel. He did as asked, his muscle memory doing most of the work for him since when she was a little girl he kneeled before her a lot. Hana-hime always got what she wanted from her sister and cousin. She wasn't much of a princess or at least not a very good one but the nickname stuck even if it was a bit of an insult. Although she would never be a true princess, Neji was a prince in every sense of the word. Smiling, she leaned forward and pressed a kiss to his cheek. When she pulled away, she found Neji's eyes wide and a hand coming up to cup his cheek.

"What was that for? You haven't kissed me since you were small." He said and she shrugged for the second time that night.

"I just wanted to say I love you." She said and pushed on his shoulder to remind him to go. "Go. Time is running out Neji-nii."

He was suspicious of her but she knew that the draw of his lover was stronger. He straightened up from his crouch and quickly made his way to the already opened window. With one leg out of the window, he turned back to her and dipped his head.

"I'll be back by morning."

"Kami Neji! Go!"

He smiled at her insistence and for a moment she almost felt guilty. Neji rarely smiled so freely…

He was gone without a look back and she took a deep breath. Then she took two. On the second exhale she got up and locked the window.

Neji would return by morning but she would not be here to greet him. She only had an hour at most to get through the inner ring wall. From there it would be tricky but she would make her escape through the outer compound burrows. With the darkness of the new moon on her side, she prayed that she didn't get caught.

As quickly as she could, she shed the multiple layers of her wedding kimono that were meant to be removed by her husband. Once naked, she moved to one of Neji's trunks and flipped open the lid. She riffled through it until she found the black training shirt and pants that he usually trained in. The shirt was baggy on her and that was fine but the pants were another issue altogether. Her own waist was small for her age. She didn't possess the hips that had been burgeoning on her elder sister when she had turned sixteen. After rolling the waistband up three times she tore a strip from the hem of her wedding kimono and tied the pants around her waist as tightly as she could.

Once satisfied that Neji's pants wouldn't fall she rifled through the rest of his things to see if there was anything else that could be of use. When she got to the bottom of the trunk her fingers brushed against something cold. She grabbed the object and was mildly surprised to find that it was a small dagger. She hadn't expected this to be in a trunk of clothing but it would serve her purposes well. Without a second thought, she gathered her long brown hair in one hand and attempted to cut it. Cutting through the thick locks was a lot harder than she anticipated. It took several messy hacking attempts that resulted in bloody fingers but was eventually able to cut her hair short enough that it barely brushed against her chin. In the mirror, she looked as though she'd been attacked but it was a sight better than the woman she'd been looking at earlier.

Satisfied with her appearance, she moved to her own trunk. Within them was only one thing she wanted. Her training katana. It was lighter and thinner than most swords and it couldn't kill a man but it would serve her purposes well. She didn't plan on killing anyone anyway. She pushed the sheathed katana through the makeshift rope belt that held her pants up and moved over to the bedroom door. While she'd insisted on Neji taking the window route, she knew that the hallway outside of this room was empty as was custom. Newlyweds needed their privacy of course.

Hanabi scoffed at the thought and opened the door. As expected the hallway was empty. With years of practice, she knew exactly which floorboards creaked and which doors screeched. Getting out of the main house was child's play. Getting to the wall of the inner ring was a bit harder with drunk branch members meandering in the courtyard but somehow she managed to get through without being spotted. Even the guards on duty had had a little too much celebratory sake and didn't look too closely at her face when they let her through.

After she was through the inner gate, she swiftly weaved her way through the labyrinth of the compound until she found the blacksmith's home. Inside that house, she knew that Neji would be there. He would be within in the arms of the woman he was supposed to have married. He would be happy at least for a little while. Her father was sleeping peacefully with the knowledge that she was safe in her bed and forever bound to the Hyuuga clan. He would also be happy for a time.

However… she was a selfish girl. Their peace would only last until morning. They would be upset with her sure but this was for the best. The mutiny against her father would never come to pass. Neji would not be bound to her for the rest of his life and she…she would be free.

She didn't have a plan from this point on but as she climbed the tree in Tenten's backyard she wasn't afraid. Perhaps it was the adrenaline of rebellion. Perhaps it was the thrill of doing something new. Whatever it was, she knew one thing for sure as soon as her feet landed in the soil on the other side of the wall.

This felt _right_.

… _ **..**_

 _ **The Twenty-fifth Spring of the Karasu**_

 _ **On route to Hyuuga Compound**_

… _ **..**_

This wasn't _right._

Commander.

He was now the Commander of the Uchiha.

This was not a title he expected to carry so soon. One day it was bound to happen but he would have preferred it be due to his father's body finally succumbing to the excessive amounts of alcohol he'd consumed. As unlikely as it was, it was honorable for an Uchiha to die on the battlefield. That was the desired method for most. Dying old in a bed was a nightmare even for him. However, his father had been captured. _That_ was a fate worse than death. Even if they were to recover him he would never outlive the shame that would forever hang over his shoulders.

Itachi frowned as pushed his horse forward on their journey. The usual cadence of foot soldiers and hooves was nowhere near. It was strange to be alone like this. He should have listened to Shisui's protest that he take a large guard but for this mission, a large guard would have drawn negative attention. Showing up to his father-in-law's door with a full force was not the greeting that he wished to give.

Snapping the horses reigns he pressed forward, the expansive pale walls of the Hyuuga compound just over the hill. The walls grew taller the closer he came and once upon the entrance he dismounted from his horse. There were four guards standing at the gate instead of the usual two. They unsheathed their swords upon his approach but he raised his hands palm side up to show that he wasn't a threat.

"State your business." One of the guards demanded tersely.

"I am here for a meeting with Hyuuga Hiashi. I have a scroll here confirming our meeting." Itachi said but the men continued to stare at him suspiciously.

"Who are you?"

"Uchiha Itachi."

The men murmured amongst themselves, unsure as to whether to let him in or not. After several moments of uncertainty the man who spoke to him before shook his head and stepped forward.

"You married our Hinata-sama yes?" he asked and Itachi nodded. The man bowed stiffly in respect and rose slowly. "Then by extension, you are family. I do not wish to greet you with this news but you will not be able to meet with Hiashi-sama today."

Itachi cocked his head to the side, perplexed by this development. The man bowed again and this time he did not rise.

"Hiashi-sama is no longer with us. He was murdered last night in his bed."

 _ **To be continued….**_

 _From time to time_

 _The clouds give rest_

 _To the moon-beholders_

 _ **(Basho)**_


	11. Real Chapter 11

**CCNote: *** *** _Momo206_ and _Shikara Grizzel_ I can't PM you but the last note was not directed to you lovely people at all. It was more for anonymous guest reviews and not so anonymous users that send me angry PMs (direct/private messages).* I love you two!**

 **Please enjoy and don't forget to leave a REVIEW!**

 **More Mistakes than Fingers to Count Them**

 _From time to time_

 _The clouds give rest_

 _To the moon-beholders_

 _ **(Basho)**_

 _ **The Twentieth Spring of the Hato**_

 _ **Uchiha Shiro- Atami Shrine**_

 _ **...**_

 _Although her attendants chased after her, she paid them no mind. The only thing she could worry about was the state of her mother in law. She sprinted as best as she could through the courtyard until she reached the main house, her long hair whipping behind her. There was sure to be tangles later but she couldn't be bothered to care._

 _Once she reached the man house, she skirted between the traffic that had descended upon the building. Elders and high ranking family members alike were surprised to see her skirting by but again she paid them no mind. The hall to the Master's Quarters was even busier than the rest of the home. Paintings and tapestries were being moved and carted away to who knows where. Seeing those personal effects being removed made her heart ache even more._

 _Hinata sped up her pace as she rounded the corner where she found the woman she'd been looking for standing in the open doorway to her rooms directing the bustling attendants._

" _Be careful with that vase." She said with a short giggle. "It may be ugly but it was a gift."_

 _"Yes, Uchiha-sama!"_

" _Goodness, this rug has never seen the light of day. Roll it up and take it out for an airing."_

 _"Yes, Uchiha-sama!"_

 _Hinata approached the woman tentatively. She didn't look upset or even phased by the news of the morning. Had her worry all been for naught? Just as she was starting to feel foolish, Mikoto turned from the door and smiled broadly at her._

" _Hina-chan! What are you doing over here dear?" she asked, stepping away from her perch in the door frame._

" _I…well…I…" Hinata stammered as a blush spread over her cheeks._

" _Were you worried about me?"_

 _The younger woman nodded with downcast eyes only to have her chin tilted upward by warm fingers. Mikoto smiled at her softly, the wrinkles in the corners of her eyes were the only thing that gave away her age when she did so. No matter how many times she looked upon her mother in law she would always be in awe of her beauty._

" _Thank you for worrying about me Hina-chan." She said as she released her chin. "You shouldn't bother with an old bat like me but I thank you."_

" _But…Uchiha-sama he…they say that Uchiha-sama was captured."_

 _"Oh, that?" Mikoto shrugged. "It comes with the territory. Uchiha men were never meant to last long."_

 _Hinata gaped at her. How could she say such a thing about her own husband? If a long life evaded Uchiha men did that mean Itachi would follow the same fate of his father? Mikoto seemed to notice her shock and the smile she wore slipped. She gently took her hand and led her over to a large, overly stuffed ottoman. There she sat and patted the empty space beside her. Hinata took the seat tentatively but Mikoto wrapped an arm around her shoulders to pull her in close. She smelled like lemongrass and her embrace was impossibly warm._

 _Without thinking, she buried her face in the crook of Mikoto's neck and relished the way she held her. She hadn't been embraced in such a way since she was a child. Sure she'd hugged her cousin and sister but this was different. This was from a mother._

 _It was shameful for her to indulge in such a way, especially when the room was swirling with activity around them. Yet... it felt like they were the only two in the room. Gentle fingers began to run themselves through her hair, working the tangle in a way that only an expert could._

" _I wish I could tell you a different story but this is the truth." Mikoto whispered. "I love Itachi but he is no exception to the rule. There is always another battle to face. There will be more nights you spend alone than together before one day your bed will always be cold. Don't worry. Someday soon you will have sons and they will fill your heart so you will never be lonely._

 _And….one day… when they have grown taller than you a girl will come to marry them. She will take up space in your heart as well. She will bring you many grandchildren to love and cherish when you are old and gray and I hope you come to love her the way I love you."…_

….Uchiha Mikoto was a woman she'd always seen as infallible. Since that first day in the snow, she had been the image of perfection. Even now with her husband's fate in jeopardy, she stood before the Atami shrine with the elders as if there was nothing wrong. Not a wrinkle marred her skin and no tears came from her eyes. On the outside, she was perfection but on the inside…Hinata couldn't tell how she truly felt. She masked everything under that beautiful smile of hers.

Hinata frowned as she watched the prayer taking place on the floor below her. Her fingers gripped the red wooden railing and her heart beat in time with the slow ringing of the gong.

"Hinata." A deep voice said from her right.

Hinata slowly turned her head from the ceremony to find Sasuke still staring in that direction with a look of mild distaste on his face. She hadn't seen his face in over two weeks since that day in the Heir Wing garden. That was the day that everything changed. Although the time had been short, it had changed the District immensely.

She was no longer allowed to leave the Shiro and even within the walls she had an escort that was never more than a shout away. The awkward dinners with Sasuke and Mikoto ceased and instead she took her meals with the elder's wives. They were not the liveliest bunch of women but it was better than being alone. Speaking of which, this was her first time being alone with Sasuke since their eavesdropping escapade. He looked more tired since that day, more burdened than he should be at twenty.

"How long has this been going on?" Sasuke asked and Hinata turned her head back to the ceremony.

"Since sunrise." She replied softly.

Sasuke scoffed as the monks lit more incense below.

"They are wasting their time."

"I don't see it that way. They are doing what they can from where they are."

"And what might that be aside from making the entire Shiro smell like it's on fire?" he snapped. "If you think this is helpful, you are more of an idiot than I thought."

Hinata turned to retort but dark eyes were trained on her face. If looks could kill she would surely be dead. She might not have as sharp of a tongue and the youngest Uchiha. She might not know him as well as she would like but it was clear that he was hurting.

' _Spoil him enough for the both of us.'_

Itachi's words from their day at the koi pond smoothly wafted in her mind, and soothe the sting of Sasuke's harsh words. Without much of a thought, she placed her hand over his on the railing and ran her thumb over his tense knuckles.

"Uchiha-san…have you eaten today?"

He blinked at her. Once. Twice. It was clear by the way he had trouble even processing her question that he hadn't actually eaten anything. He probably wasn't going to either. Hinata curled her fingers around his hand and pulled it gently off of the railing. He resisted her leading him away from the ceremony a bit but she only had to glance back once before her reluctantly followed her.

Silently she led him out of the shrine and through the courtyard. As they walked she grew nervous that at any moment he would have enough of her antics and pull away. She was positive that there were already insults ready at the tip of his tongue. Still, she wasn't going to let him go away to sulk on his own and take his bad attitude out on others. She didn't want him to lash out at her either but she could take it. In Itachi's place, she would take it.

Feeling more emboldened, she intertwined their fingers together and sped up their pace. Their geta clacked loudly on the stone path until they reached an outer door to the East wing where she'd been moved to. It was smaller than the Heir wing and not at all where she should stay but she didn't feel right moving into Mikoto and Fugaku's rooms. Until everything was officially settled, she refused to kick her mother in law out of a place where she drew comfort. Even though the attendants had started the process of moving the older woman, Hinata made them put everything back. She felt embarrassed to order people around but they looked happy to do something nice for their former mistress. In any case, the East wing was more than enough room for her and her attendants to reside.

"Hey, Sakura!" Ino's voice called just beyond the paper shoji door. "I think I hear someone coming!"

"Really or are you lying again?"

"I'm serious I really hear someone this time!"

Hinata felt a small smile spread over her face as she listened to the two bicker back and forth. Sasuke, on the other hand, did not seem to enjoy the noise. He stopped on the steps that led to the covered walkway and tried to tug his hand away. Hinata paused and turned back, prepared for whatever mean excuse he made to leave. Instead, she was greeted with the face of a man that looked nervous. Well…as afraid as someone like Uchiha Sasuke could look. Dark brows knitted together and lips turned downward ever so slightly into a frown. She opened her mouth to ask him what was wrong but the back door slid open with a bang.

"Oh! Hinata you're back early!" Ino said cheerfully and an excited squeak close by let her know that Sakura was there as well.

"Yea, I got a little hungry during the ceremony. Is it too early for lunch?" Hinata asked without taking her eyes off of the reluctant Uchiha.

"It's never too early for lunch! Come on in!"

There was another incomprehensible squeak before the patter of excited feet raced back inside of the building. Hinata gave Sasuke's hand a squeezed and pulled a bit on his hand in a silent gesture to come up the stares. He had no reason to be nervous. Whatever he was worried about wouldn't be that bad.

...

Hinata liked to consider herself a humble girl. She had no problem admitting when she was wrong. In fact, most things she undertook never turned out the way she wanted to. That's why it only took her five minutes to realize why Sasuke had been so hesitant and now she was kicking herself for being so naive because…well…

It _was_ that bad.

"Uchiha-san would you like some more rice?" Ino asked, batting her lashes and grabbing an already full bowl of rice from in front of Sasuke.

"Uchiha-san doesn't want _your_ rice Ino. Try some of this grilled eel." Sakura said, cutting her eyes in an irritated fashion before turning to smile at Sasuke. "I made this dish myself."

Hinata looked at the offered fare and pushed her own plate away. The eel was burnt nearly to a crisp but Sakura swore up and down that _this_ was the way it was supposed to look. Sasuke didn't appear to find the offering appealing either but then again his face was unreadable. Maybe he was tempted by Sakura's eel?

"No." he said firmly and Sakura's face fell slightly.

 _Or not._

"Do you have something else that you'd prefer?"

"Yea! What is your favorite food maybe we can make it for you!"

The new Uchiha matriarch knew that Ino and Sakura found Sasuke to be…attractive. He wasn't bad to look at either. Pale skin, dark hair, and aristocratic features that almost bordered on feminine. He was very easy on the eyes when his own weren't glaring at anyone. Unfortunately, he had such a rotten disposition that she couldn't understand why her attendants were so eager to be in his presence. He most certainly didn't want to be in theirs. He refused to eat even a single bite of what they offered him and they'd brought half of the cupboard. There was more food ladened on the table than they could possibly ever eat between the two of them. Hinata looked between the three and sighed. This whole being nice to Sasuke thing was not working out well at all.

"Um…Sakura-chan…Ino-chan…" and the two stopped fighting each other for Sasuke's none existent attention to look at her. "Could you…would you please…maybe bring us some tea?"

"Tea?!" they said simultaneously and jumped to their feet. "I'll get it!"

The pinkette and blonde glared at each other.

"I'll be the one to make the tea." Sakura instead and Ino scoffed.

"You'll just burn it like you did the eel."

"It's not burnt. For the last time, it's _supposed_ to look like that."

"No, it's not."

"Yes, it is!"

The two fought each other all the way out the room and their muffled voice could still be heard from down the hallway. Once the room fell silent again, Hinata let out an awkward sigh of relief and grabbed an orange from the too large pile of fruit. Slowly, she began to peel it.

"Sorry about that." She mumbled and Sasuke scoffed.

"Why are you constantly apologizing?"

"I-"

"If you're really 'sorry' you'll learn to control you attendants and teach them some manners."

"They were just excited to see you." She countered but that only earned her an indignant eye roll.

"All women are."

An _'I'm not'_ was on the tip of her tongue but she swallowed her words. She was supposed to be nice. However, just as she finished peeling the orange it was plucked away from her possession. She stared in shock as Sasuke halved the fruit and took out a small section for himself to eat without offering her the other piece. He noticed her shocked expression and shrugged.

"You look as if you're ready to throw up."

She didn't want to 'throw up', as he so eloquently put it, but she was definitely ready to scream. She hadn't eaten breakfast this morning and she really wanted that orange! Just seeing him eating it all on his own was enough to make her blood pressure rise. Sure there were at least five more oranges in the bowl but it was the principal of the matter and he looked so smug as he ate too. Drawing on all of the patients she had left, Hinata grabbed another orange from the bowl.

"So…" she started in an attempt to break the awkward silence between them but she really didn't have anything to say.

"So?" Sasuke grunted as he put the half-eaten orange on his plate and went for an apple. "Are you going to suck up the air in the room with nonsense like you're attendants?"

' _That's it!'_

She wanted to satisfy Itachi's wishes and be kind to Sasuke but he was making that very very difficult. With her lips pursed together, she grabbed the apple before he could bite into it much to his dismay. He glared at her but it was only mildly effective. She was tired. She was hungry. She was not going to put up with his attitude a minute longer.

"They were only trying to be nice to you!" she hissed but it didn't come out as harshly as she wanted. Still, she gestured to the burnt eel, copious amounts of rice, runny eggs, and other dubiously prepare dishes. "They didn't have to bring all of this but they are trying to be welcoming for your sake."

"Hn. For my sake?" he snorted and crossed his arms. "Is that why you brought me here?"

"Yes. Itachi said-"

" _Itachi said,_ I don't _care_ what Itachi said and I sure as hell don't need your pity party."

Sasuke rose to his feet in a huff but she got up as well and followed him across the room to the door.

"You should care. Itachi could very well be in danger right now trying to save your father. The least you could do would be to not act like such a…such a-"

"Such a _what?"_ he snapped, turning on his heel to face her.

He was right up against her and although he towered above her own height she didn't look away. He was angry. He was irritated. Most of all…he was hurt. She wanted to say something, to reach out and do something - _anything-_ useful but her breath caught in her throat. It felt like an eternity passed before he turned away with a scoff.

When the shoji door closed behind him, Hinata was left alone stupidly holding an apple. She looked down on the pettily stolen fruit. Yet again she'd been unsuccessful at well _trying._

' _Oh Itachi…I don't think I can do this.'_

 _..._

 _ **The Twenty-fifth Spring of the Karasu**_

 _ **Hyuuga Mori**_

 _ **...**_

The new Commander pressed his lips together in a tight line as he led his horse to the river so that it could drink. This morning was supposed to have been productive. He was supposed to have met with Hiashi to deliver the conscription of new recruits to the Emperor's army. After that business had been taken care of he would have negotiated for his younger daughter to become a ward of the Uchiha and made arrangements for her to join his wife in the District. The plan was simple enough but all of that had been derailed with the news of a murder within the walls of the compound.

He'd never met the now deceased Hyuuga Head but he'd seen the skills of the Hyuuga boys and men that were sent to fight alongside his own in battle. There was no way that the leader of such a people would succumb to being murdered in his own bed.

' _And yet he did…'_ Itachi started, his thoughts trailing off as a headache began to form in the front of his mind.

He'd ridden nearly nonstop for a week on his personal mission to the Hyuuga. It wasn't a difficult journey but it did put a bit of wear on the body. Despite leaving empty handed he was able to hand the conscription to the guards and they assured him that the new recruits would be sent to the nearest encampment within a month. Now he just had to figure out what to tell Hinata about her father and sister…. With a sad smile, he patted the side of his horse's neck and the black steed huffed.

"You're tired aren't you?" he said.

The beast could not respond but Itachi knew that it was. He grabbed the end of the reigns and led them up to a tree not far from the river bank. There he tied the leather straps to a low hanging branch before going into his saddle pack for food. When he was only able to spare three apples the horse snorted indignantly at him and scratched his hoof on the ground.

"Don't look at me like that." Itachi chuckled and sank to the ground to lean against a tree. "We are only a day away from more."

He wasn't sure if his horse could actually understand his negotiations but he did stop protesting. Sighing, Itachi sank back against the rough bark of the tree and closed his eyes. Sleep never came easily to him but he had to at least try before continuing on the last leg of this journey. It would be cruel to run his horse into the ground due to his own insomnia and restlessness.

When was the last time he'd actually gotten a good nights sleep? When he was thirteen?

The Uchiha took a deep breath and then another, trying his best to clear his mind. Slowly he counted backward as he inhaled and exhaled. All the while he prayed that the eyes of the men he killed didn't appear….

… _There was nothing but fire for as far as he could see. He knew that it couldn't be later than midday but the sky was stained black with ash, blotting out the sun. At his feet lay the bodies of dozens of men. Their blood coated his blade so thickly that the steel no longer showed through._

 _Was this what his mother saw all those years ago?_

 _Was this what it meant to be a monster?_

 _Itachi stared back into the sightless eyes of one of the fallen, his face warped with a scream that would no longer be heard…._

 _..._

 _ **The Sixteenth Spring of the Suzume**_

 _ **Hyuuga Mori**_

 _ **...**_

Running away wasn't a mistake.

It wasn't.

It wasn't.

It wasn't.

Not when the night grew cold and the glowing eyes of creatures descended. Not when she'd slipped on wet leaves and branches and ended up badly scrapping her palms. Not when she'd been walking from midnight to sunrise. She was pretty sure that she was walking in circles but this wasn't a mistake. It _wasn't._ However, Hanabi grimaced as her stomach growled due to being empty for hours. She should have thought this through a little better. She'd been so focused on just getting over the wall that she hadn't made a plan for what to do after that. She should have squirreled away food in the days leading up to her wedding. She should have brought more clothing than just what was on her back.

She should have...

She should have...

Oh! There was so much that she should have done but it wasn't a mistake. It just wasn't. Hanabi held her middle as she wandered through the forest. The only time she'd missed a meal had been from punishment. Going to bed without dinner was nothing compared to the hunger she now was facing. Her stomach grumbled furiously at her and she held herself tighter.

"This wasn't a mistake." She whispered to herself as she stumbled forward.

This wouldn't be half as bad if she at least had something to drink. The Hyuuga licked her lips and tried to swallow with an already dry throat. Water. She needed water.

She put one foot in front of the other without a destination in mind. One step at a time until the sun was high in the sky and beat down uncomfortable on her pale skin.

' _Hyuugas were never meant to get this much sun.'_

Hanabi chuckled at her own dry humor and pushed forward. She wasn't sure how far she'd walked but eventually, she heard a noise that sounded like rushing water. It was probably a trick of her own ears brought on by desperation. It could have simply been the rustling of leaves with the wind. However, she was too tired to care and rushed forward towards the source of the noise. The trees thinned out as the noise got louder and soon she found herself facing the most beautiful sight- _water_.

Sunlight danced on the water, enticing the thirsty runaway to its bank. She dropped to her knees and sucked in a sharp breath at the impact but ignored the pain long enough to cup her hands into the water. When she brought the water up to drink it was slightly bloody from the cuts on her hands and a bit of dirt floated in it. She drank it anyway. The relief was almost instantaneous and she continued to drink from the river until her stomach was near to bursting. When she finished, she sat back on her haunches and sighed.

"This is going to be a lot harder than I thought."

Getting beyond the walls of the compound was easy. Surviving was going to be harder. Still…this was not a mistake. At least now that she wasn't so dehydrated she could think clearly. Like that strange whinnying was just the wind. Wait…

Hanabi turned her head to the left and her mouth fell open slightly. Either she was going crazy or there was a lone horse tied to a tree. She pinched herself but sure enough, she was not hallucinating. The massive black steed was a sight to behold and even more of a miracle than the river itself. If she had a horse she could put more distance between herself and the compound. She'd be able to find another village and…well she didn't really have a plan from that point but this was a good first step. Besides, seizing the opportunity when it presents itself is half the battle.

' _Although._ ' Hanabi thought as she slowly rose to her feet. ' _I've never actually ridden a horse before. It can't be that hard right?'_

No. She'd be fine.

Steeling her confidence, Hanabi approached the side of the horse and its head turned to face her. The beast was massive and intimidating as she drew closer. When she was only a few feet away, it grunted threateningly at her, the sound itself was enough to make her a little afraid. Just a little. Holding up her hands, she slowed her walk to almost half steps.

"Easy there. I'm nice." She said softly, inwardly feeling stupid for talking to a horse. "You don't know me but I promise I'm very nice."

The horse snorted again and scratched at the ground. Apparently, her own insistence of being nice was not enough to validate her reputation to the beast. She might not know a lot about animals but she certainly didn't want to make it angry.

' _What do horses do when they got angry?'_ Hanabi thought and shuddered at the image of getting her arm bit off by its massive teeth.

Maybe she shouldn't try to take the horse. It was clearly tied up and its owner was sure to come back for it. Slowly, Hanabi circled to the horse's front and its eyes followed her every move. However, her own eyes couldn't stay focused on the horse and instead drifted downward to the strange sight of a man slumped against the massive trunk of the tree.

"Dammit." She cursed.

It was a lot harder to steal a horse when its owner was sitting next to it. That is unless…Hanabi took a step towards the man and the horse neighed. It was a loud whining sound that should have awoken the man if he'd merely been sleeping. Was he sick? No…as she drew closer he didn't look sick. Tired perhaps but not sick. She crouched down next to him and frowned. Maybe he was dead? Some of the scrolls in the compound library likened death to slumber. If he was dead it was only right that she take his horse. That was better than allowing the poor thing to die beside him.

"He should have let it run free if he was just going to die in the woods." She mumbled under her breath and waved a hand in front of his face.

He didn't react to that and when she poked his cheek he didn't even flinch. She bit the inside of her cheek. How was she going to tell if he was dead or not? Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed a simple black kabuto and a sheathed katana nestled into the grass beside the man.

' _So…he's a warrior.'_ She thought.

For a moment this discovery filled her with excitement. She's never met a real warrior before but her happiness was short lived by the simple fact that if he was dead he wasn't very good at his job. If he wasn't a good warrior it was a crime for this horse to be attached to such a man. Still, she was curious about this stranger's belongings and the kabuto was tempting.

Against her better judgment, she grabbed the headpiece and upon further inspection was impressed by the intricate depictions of battles on its helm. The cold metal felt nice against her injured palms but the temptation to don the helmet was even stronger. She glanced warily at the probably dead man before putting it on her head. It came down a bit over her eyes but the feeling of it on her head almost made her giddy-

"What are you doing?" a deep voice drolled and Hanabi squeaked, falling back from her crouch and onto her butt.

The kabuto rattled on her head and fully obscure her view of the man she knew now to definitely _not_ be dead.

"I will ask you again boy. What are you doing?"

His voice was even and cold. He didn't sound like he'd just woken up from a deep slumber either. Nervously, she lifted the kabuto over her eyes and was met with the blank black stare of the stranger.

' _Ok._ ' She thought as she gulped. _'Maybe this was a mistake after all.'_

"Are you trying to steal my things?" he asked smoothly and Hanabi felt her heart skip a beat erratically.

How did he _know?_

"I thought you were dead-" she blurted out before quickly covering her mouth with both of her hands.

Mentally she cursed herself for not being able to think before she spoke. The stranger did not appreciate her outburst. His head tilted slightly to the side and his eyes narrowed.

"So because I am dead that gives you license to pilfer my things?" he asked but it didn't sound like a question. "Did you mother never teach you any manners?"

"I don't have a mother." She snapped defiantly and once more regretted that decision.

The stranger blinked for a moment as if taken aback. Dark eyes took in her appearance and frowned before grabbing her wrist. His hand was calloused and felt rough against her skin. She tried to pull away but his grip was too strong as he yanked her closer and inspected her scrapped palms.

"A Hyuuga outside of the compound." He mused, his lips turned downward with a frown. "With hands like these, you will not last more than a day on your own. I should return you."

"No!" she shouted and the outburst surprised him enough that he let her go. "I don't want to go back. I'm sorry for thinking about taking your things. I won't try to steal anything from anyone ever again but please don't take me back."

The stranger stared at her again, this time even longer than before. Was he really going to take her back? If so she should use this opportunity to run while she was still able-

"How old are you?"

This time Hanabi felt caught off guard by his question. Why did that matter?

"Sixteen." She answered truthfully but a small scoff told her that he didn't believe her.

It didn't help that at that moment her stomach growled and made her appear even more childish and stupid. The stranger smirked knowingly and the expression made heat rise to her cheeks in anger.

"I turned sixteen at the beginning of spring. I swear I'm not lying!"

"A runaway that steals from dead people is not the most honest person I've come across."

She opened her mouth to retort but there really wasn't anything she could say to defend herself. Even the horse had found her untrustworthy. Her own words sounded like lies but it really was the truth. Embarrassingly, her stomach growled again and she couldn't help but wince. The stranger shifted to his feet and moved over to where his horse was tied up. Hanabi stood as well and took a step back, ready to sprint if the situation called for it.

"Are you still attempting to take my things?" the stranger asked.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

The stranger turned from his bag and stared at her or more specifically her head.

"What are you…" she started, afraid she might have something on her face. Thoroughly confused she touched her cheek and forehead until her hand brushed against cold metal. "Oh! This thing!"

She quickly tried to take it off but the stranger simply turned back to his bag.

"Keep it. It's a standard issue and I can get another one at the camp. Consider that one yours." He said as he finally pulled out what looked to be dried meat from his bag.

Hanabi watched him suspiciously as he approached and when he held the meat out to her she took a half step back. She didn't eat _dried meat_. If he was going to offer her food he should at least give her something better than that. Unfortunately, her stomach growled in desperate protest despite her disgust. She reached out to take the meat but the stranger snatched it away just out of her reach.

"Before I give this to you, tell me why you can't go back to the compound? You are clearly ill equipped for life out here and you will be eaten by a wild animal before you find food on your own."

"I…I can't go back."

Her eyes fell from the meat to her dusty sandals. Despite how hungry she was. Despite how miserable she'd been for the last few hours. She knew that she could never return to life behind the compound walls.

"Did you kill someone?" the stranger suddenly asked, his tone hard.

Her head snapped up at that question. His dark eyes were accusing but it was a startling thing to say nonetheless. She opened her mouth to deny the claims but a smirk appeared on the man's lips.

"No. You have no idea what a dead body looks like." He said and finally handed her the dried meat.

She was hesitant to accept it after being accused of murder but she took it anyway. She brought the unfamiliar food up to her nose and gave it a sniff and was rewarded with a smell similar to what they fed their dogs. Holding her breath she put the meat in her mouth and tried to break off a piece but found it to be incredibly hard to do so. The stranger crossed his arms over his chest and chuckled at her struggle.

"Come on. There is more food at the encampment."

Hanabi finally broke off a piece of the meat and chewed the hard texture as best as she could.

"Why should I go anywhere with you?" she asked suspiciously. "I don't know you."

"That jerky you're eating is the only food I can spare. If you want to continue to scrounge around in the woods that's perfectly acceptable." He shrugged and turned to walk back to his horse.

Hanabi continued to chew and thought about his words. She'd rather her last meal not be salty, hard to chew meat. She'd also prefer not to be eaten by wild animals since she could only do so much damage with her woefully dull katana. Was it a mistake to take this man's help? Probably. Did she have any other options? No. Hanabi swallowed the chewy meat just as he began to mount his horse, the black beast shaking its mane back and forth in anticipation.

"Wait!" she shouted and the stranger looked back at her with a raised brow. "You're not trying to trick me are you?"

The stranger stared blankly, giving her no response. His-now _her-_ kabuto slipped down over her eyes but she adjusted it nervously.

"Um…You say that there's better food?"

"I never said it was better. I said there was more."

' _Rude much.'_ Hanabi thought before walking up to the horse and rider before she talked herself out of going.

She really didn't have another option. She could let her clan members eventually find her bones in the woods but that wasn't very appealing.

"Where are we going?" she asked, once more adjusting the helmet as it slipped down.

"We will be joining the Uchiha training camp. Fortunately for you," he said as he held out a large calloused hand to help her onto the horse. "We need all the boys we can get."

...

 _ **The Twentieth Spring of the Hato**_

 _ **Uchiha Shiro- Main House**_

 _ **...**_

"Mikoto-san." Hinata called through the closed shoji door. "Mikoto-san, I have your tea."

She met with silence on the other side but she knew that the room was occupied. Mikoto's own attendants had informed her that she'd returned to her rooms right after the ceremony at the shrine had been completed. Hinata bit her bottom lip. She didn't want to be a bother if Mikoto really didn't want company but there were rumors swirling around that she hadn't been eating well lately. If nothing else she had to check on her. Taking a deep breath, Hinata set down the tea tray on the floor and opened the door without permission.

"Mikoto-san, I'm coming in."

Again she was met with silence but that did not deter her. Instead, she picked the tea tray back up and proceeded inside. A quick glance around the ornately decorated sitting room revealed it to be empty.

"Mikoto-san." Hinata called as she slowly crossed to the room to a door that led to the bedroom resided.

She put the tea tray down again and knocked softly.

"Mikoto-san."

Silence.

"Mikoto-san."

Now she was concerned. Worriedly, Hinata moved to open the door to the bedroom but a hand grabbed her elbow and stopped her. Hinata whirled around in surprise to find Sasuke glaring down at her.

"What do you think you're doing?" he asked.

"I-I- I was just checking on Mikoto-san." She glanced down pointedly at the tea tray on the floor and Sasuke followed her line of sight. With a grunt, he stopped down and picked up the tray. "Wait-"

"I will take it to her." He said and Hinata shook her head.

"You don't have to bother yourself Uchiha-san-"

"Open the door Uchiha- _sama_."

The way he said her name almost didn't register to her mind but the cutting tone he used made her jump. Nervously she slid the door open with a bowed head and stepped aside. Sasuke brushed past her into the room without sparing a glance in her direction. Was he still angry from earlier? She really hadn't meant to insult him and her own temper had gotten the best of her. She should be more patient with Sasuke at a time like this. If something happened to her own father she wouldn't be the best company either- a thunderous crash of wood and porcelain broke Hinata from her thoughts.

"Uchiha-san-" she started as she ran into the room.

The man in question's broad back was turned away from her, his shoulders uncharacteristically slumped. At his feet, the tea tray had been dropped. The steaming tea spread over the hardwood floor among shattered pieces of porcelain.

"Uchiha-san" she asked again and stepped forward, her own eyes followed where his were trained and her next words were swallowed by a silent scream.

Hung from the rafters with a white bedsheet around her neck rested the body of the Uchiha Mikoto. Of the last three years that she spent within the District. Of all the laughter. Of all the love she freely bestowed. The smile on her face was the first genuine one Hinata had seen.

 _ **To be continued….**_

 _In the cicada's cry_

 _No sign can foretell_

 _How soon it must die_

 _ **(Basho)**_


	12. Chapter 12

**CCNote:** **Gah I keep saying I won't write these and then I do. I'll keep it short. Japan adopted China's writing system forever and a half ago. It happened so long ago that many students don't know that Kanji came from China. (If you ask a random kid who invented kanji they will say Japan). Hiragana and its cousin Katakana are organically derived from Japan though. With the adoption of the Chinese writing system came a lot of other quirky culture things like the use of chopsticks, fireworks, and zodiac signs being assigned to birth years (although they threw out following the Lunar calendar when they adopted the Gregorian). Will I twist the order/sequence of the star signs to suit my purposes? Yes. Yes, I will cuz this is fanfiction.**

 **ANYWAYS please enjoy and don't forget to leave a REVIEW!**

 **Between the Nezumi and its Ryu**

 _In the cicada's cry_

 _No sign can foretell_

 _How soon it must die_

 _ **(Basho)**_

 _ **The Sixteenth Spring of the Suzume**_

 _ **Grassy hills of Konohagakure**_

… _ **..**_

' _We are going to the Uchiha training camp. Fortunately for you, we need all the boys we can get.'_

A boy.

A freaking _boy._

How dare this stranger not realize that she was anything but a woman! Sure she was wearing her cousin's clothing and her face was smeared with dirt but she was obviously _not_ a boy. She wanted to correct him for such an insult but that was a bad idea. If he knew she was the runaway Hyuuga Matriarch, he would march her straight to the Compound. He'd probably ask for a ransom which her father would undoubtedly pay for her safe return.

No, telling this man who she was would not be in her best interest…at least not yet.

If they were heading to the Uchiha training camp, there would obviously be men that were from the District. If she was lucky she might even get a chance to find her sister's husband Itachi. It was a gamble but if she told him who she was he could bring her to her sister. She just had to bide her time until an opportunity presented itself. If that meant masquerading as a boy then so be it. Plus it was a nice break to no longer be walking around on her own…not that this stranger was very good company.

At the moment the horse was slowly trotting down the main road of the countryside. It was picturesque to see a world beyond her well-maintained garden but there was only so much 'nature' she could handle before she became bored. _That_ and she was positive she'd been staring at the same hill in the distance for the past hour and it never appeared to get any closer.

"Hey mister can't this thing go any faster?" she asked.

"This pace is fine."

No…he was not very good company at all. Still, sitting in silence for so long was not her cup of tea.

"How much longer will it take for us to get there?"

"As long as it has to."

Hanabi huffed and crossed her arms. This stranger was a real comedian. It didn't help that the jerky hadn't satiated her appetite and she hadn't slept in over twenty-four hours. She was cranky and this stranger was doing nothing to improve her mood. Hanabi huffed again and looked up at the sky. The bright blue expanse was filled with clouds that passed at a faster rate than they were. Leaning back a bit more she shaded her eyes with her hand and squinted.

"Bear. Tooth…..Dango…."

This man was lucky that she was used to being able to entertain herself.

"Rice…Frog…."

"What are you doing?" the stranger asked and Hanabi shrugged.

"Looking at clouds."

"Clouds?"

"Yes." Hanabi huffed and pointed up to the sky. "See look at that one. It looks like a dragon."

The man shifted behind her and she uncomfortably turned so that she could look at him. His eyes were scrunched up from the glare of the sun and his brow furrowed.

"There is no dragon." He said flatly after staring at the sky for an exorbitant amount of time.

"Yes, there is. Look at how long and skinny it looks and the end flips up like a tail."

His eyes narrowed at the sky.

"There is no dragon."

Hanabi crossed her arms and released a slow exhale through her nose. He was really bad at this game. She'd even wager him worse than Neji. Desperate to keep the awkward silence at bay, Hanabi re-engaged.

"You know. I was born in the year of the Dragon. That means I'm very lucky."

"Is that so?"

Hanabi shrugged.

"It's what everyone's told me. What about you?"

"I am the Rat."

He was serious when he said it but that fact didn't stop her from snorting. A man like him should be something strong like a horse or cunning like a snake. Instead, he was a laughable rat. The discovery made her snicker under her breath.

"Is there something funny?" he asked and Hanabi shook her head and tried to keep from laughing any more.

"Nothing! Nothing at all! Hey, look at that one. I think it kinda looks like a rat, don't you?"

"No."

"If you tilt your head and squint-"

"No."

 **….**

It took until sunset but they reached the encampment at long last. The sight of navy colored tents with the Uchiha crest on them made her heart skip a beat. She was so much closer to reaching her sister even though the District itself was hundreds of miles away. At the edge of the camp, her companion stopped the horse and dismounted smoothly from the saddle. He then assisted her in getting down. As soon as her feet were on the ground she fell to her knees into the muck. The large hand of the stranger grabbed her upper arm and helped her stand on her feet as he smirked at her misfortune.

"Was this your first time on a horse?" he asked and Hanabi fruitlessly tried to shake his grip on her arm.

"No one leaves the compound so we don't have a use for them. They would only take up space and eat our food." She snapped.

Now embarrassed _and_ cranky, Hanabi wanted nothing more than get as far away from this man as possible. The stranger did not care about her poor mood nor her attempts to shake him off. Instead, he pulled her along into the encampment with a seemingly single-minded purpose. The encampment itself was not like what she'd imagined. There were very few people running around. The people they did pass either bowed and never rose or gave her pitying looks.

Did they know something she didn't?

She didn't have much time to wonder because the stranger finally stopped outside of an oddly colored white tent that was slightly bigger than the other ones they'd passed. He then pushed aside the flap and led her through with him. Inside of the tent was tons of dried herbs that hung from the wooden poles and glass cabinets that lined the perimeter wall. In the middle of the tent sat a girl with fiery red hair, hunched over on her stool as she napped.

"Moegi." The stranger said and the girl immediately straightened on her stool as if she'd never been sleeping in the first place. The stranger pulled Hanabi further into the tent and she shuffled her feet to reluctantly follow.

"Oh! Good evening sir!" Moegi chirped, a nervous smile on her face as they drew closer. She made to bow but the stranger stopped her with a wave of his free hand.

"Moegi, where is the doctor?" he asked.

The girl bit her bottom lip and nervously began playing with the edge of her simple navy blue yukata.

"Master said that he would be back soon-"

"He's gambling with Shisui isn't he?"

"I-"

"It's fine Moegi. You are more than capable of handling this task on your own." He said gently before pulling Hanabi to stand in front of him. "I found this one wandering in the woods. Do your best to get him cleaned up and checked before dinner tonight. I know that you will take good care of him for me yes?"

"Of course sir!" Moegi chirped, her big eyes finally taking in the disgruntled companion he'd brought into the tent.

The stranger finally let go of her arm and turned to leave the room. Was he just going to leave her here alone with this girl? She wanted to tell him to stay but he was already out of the tent before she could form the words. Adding irritated to the long list of current emotions she was experiencing, Hanabi turned back to her new companion who no longer looked happy to see her.

"What?" Hanabi asked since she didn't appreciate the scrutinizing look she was receiving.

"Do you have any worms?"

"Worms?!" Hanabi spat. "Why would I have worms-"

"Any lice, mites, or ticks?"

"Of course not!"

"Good." The girl finally said but it didn't look like she believed Hanabi's denial. "I guess you're just dirty but then again you all show up dirty. Go on then, strip."

Strip?

Hanabi blinked and looked down at the mud smeared on her clothes. It wasn't _that_ bad. Moegi crossed her arms and began to tap her foot impatiently.

"It's either you strip yourself or I do it for you." She snapped and Hanabi glared at her.

She didn't look to be much older than herself so using this bossy ton was unwarranted. Unfortunately, there wasn't much she could do before the girl crossed the distance between them and lifted the edge of her shirt. Hanabi tried to fight off her hands but for such a skinny thing, Moegi was quite strong and was able to yank the shirt over her head.

Her kabuto fell to the ground with a muted thud and the girl stared back at her with a dumbfounded look. Her arms quickly came up to cover her bound chest and she looked away from Moegi. There goes her plan of pretending to be a boy. As if finally being able to connect the dots, Moegi gasped with a hand over her mouth as she dropped the shirt and took a step back.

"Oh, dear Kami you're a girl!"

"So?" Hanabi snapped. Was it really that shocking?

"What do you mean _so_? Do you know how much trouble you're going to be in if they find out you're a girl?" Moegi rounded, the shock of her discovery quickly being replaced with anger. "Little girls don't belong here."

"I'm not a little girl! Besides _you're_ here aren't you?"

"I don't have a choice!" she hissed and Hanabi felt a bit of her own defiance shrink with the hurt in her voice. "You don't understand. This is not a place for a girl to be. Do you know what they do to girls like us here? I'm only safe inside this tent."

Hanabi frowned as she watched Moegi flit around the tent, grabbing things from random cabinets and setting them down on the desk. What did she mean that is camp wasn't safe? She'd read about the Uchiha and their skills in battle. They were an honorable force, admired by philosophers and poets alike. Was Moegi referring to the potential battles to come? She had no intention of actually fighting. If she wasn't able to find Itachi she would just take what she needed and run away again.

"If it's that unsafe here, I can always just leave." She mumbled and her companion snorted.

"Sit." Moegi said, pointing to the stool she'd previously been napping on.

Reluctantly, Hanabi took the seat and Moegi came up to stand behind her. None too gentle fingers grabbed a handful of her hair and the sound of scissors being opened caused Hanabi to lean forward.

"What do you think you're doing?!" she hissed and tried to get away but that was hard to do without the use of her hands which were currently covering her wrapped chest.

"I'm _helping_ you even though I shouldn't." Moegi snapped and pulled Hanabi head back. "If they catch you running away, and they will, you will be hung as a deserter. I've seen too many boys with cold feet hanging from trees."

Hanabi gulped at the morbid visual and shivered when locks of her own hair fell to her shoulders and the floor. They sat in silence together as Moegi fixed the horrible haircut she'd given herself and when the scissors ceased, Moegi stepped back with her hands on her hips and frowned. She then moved to pull a metal basin from where it was leaning against the wall and sat it next to the stool.

"Lean over this." She said and Hanabi did as she was told.

"If they find out that you're a girl well…you will wish you'd been hung. Your best bet is to keep up this charade until the campaign is over. You'll get money with the other men and you can do what you want with it. Hopefully, since the Commander accepted you, you will be able to fly under the radar easily."

"The Commander?" Hanabi repeated. She hadn't met a Commander just a lazy, unimaginative stranger in the woods.

Wait…he couldn't be. He was much too young to be the Uchiha Fugaku she'd read about…

Unfortunately, a pitcher of cold water being poured over her head consumed all further contemplation.

"What the hell-"

"Stop complaining, I've got to make sure you don't actually have lice or any other bugs on you."

"But I told you I don't!"

Moegi shrugged and pulled a fine tooth comb out of her pocket.

"The Commander said to take care of you and that's exactly what I'm doing."

 **….**

She'd spent nearly two hours in the medical tent and by the time she finished she was cleaner than she was before. All of the grime had been wiped away and her hands were finally bandaged properly. Moegi was not the most gentle nurse but she was grateful for her assistance. However, a new insecurity filled her the moment she stepped out of the tent.

She was not a boy.

Her hair was shorter than before. She wore the same standard black uniform as the others in the camp. She was still a girl though. It was exposing just to take one step outside of the tent. It felt as if everyone could tell that she was a liar.

"They pick on the smaller ones so don't look so afraid." Moegi said from the flap of the tent. "Keep your head down and try not to talk."

Hanabi nodded and took a shaky breath. This had not been what she'd anticipated getting herself into

"Thank you Moegi." Hanabi whispered.

"Don't thank me. Just don't get caught. Now go or you'll miss dinner."

The Hyuuga rolled her eyes at Moegi's curtness but couldn't help the smile that formed on her face.

' _Just don't get caught.'_

She wouldn't.

No matter what she would make it to her sister and she couldn't do that if she was dead. As confidently as she could, Hanabi walked away from the medical tent and wandered around the encampment. It looked eery in the dim light of twilight. The navy tents were lined up in an orderly fashion and now that the sun had set they were alight and stuffed with occupants. She could hear the boisterous laughter and shouting from inside each one of them. The noise was unlike anything she'd experienced at the Compound which was largely silent. Even her own wedding celebration had been a somber affair and that was considered 'lively'.

At the thought of home, Hanabi's shoulders slumped slightly as she walked through the camp. By now they'd probably sent out a search team to find her. Being that she'd been on foot, she wouldn't have gotten far and they would have found her. It was by pure luck that she'd run into someone able to take her to the last place her family would ever look for her. Still…

' _Neji-nii…Otou-san…'_ she thought as she bit the inside of her cheek. _'I hope they don't look for long.'_

"Hey! Hey you!" a voice shouted from behind her.

Hanabi stiffened at the sound. Had someone already realized that she was an imposter? Slowly she turned around to find two boys clumsily bounding up to her.

"Hey you!" the faster one shouted again and his partner who was woefully dragging behind him whined.

"Don't shout Konohamaru-"

"I'm not shouting!"

"Yes you are- oh nevermind."

Hanabi blinked. The two of them were pitiful. When they finally caught up to her the one named Konohamaru placed his hands on her shoulders, huffing and puffing as he tried to catch his breath.

"Hah…hahh. Man, that was a run!" he wheezed before turning bright brown eyes to stare into her own.

"So _you_ are the Hyuuga they told us about! Udon it's him!"

The one named Udon had given up on trying to reach them and was double over with his hands on his knees. Hanabi felt her right eye twitch at the sad sight. Konohamaru appeared unfazed with his friend's distress and slung an arm around her neck, turning them both so that they could keep walking. It was odd to so close to anyone- let alone a man- that was so forward.

"I'm Konohamaru and that guy back there is Udon. We are your new tentmates." He explained. "Are you heading in for dinner?"

Hanabi wormed her way out of his overly friendly embrace and nodded. He didn't seem to notice her wariness at all. He as either purposefully ignorant or stupid.

"Well let's all go together! Udon and I were excited to hear from the Commander that our tent would be getting a new person. Now we won't be apart of the newest batch anymore. That means we are your senpai."

' _I'm not calling you senpai.'_ Hanabi blanched internally but bit the inside of her cheek to keep the retort from escaping.

Part of not getting caught was not speaking. However, as Konohamaru continued to prattle on and Udon struggled to catch up it was becoming apparent that staying silent was going to be harder than she anticipated.

' _Otou-san give me some of your patience.'_

As she followed her new 'tentmates' there was no doubt she would need every ounce of self-restraint her father had to spare.

… **..**

" _Try it again Hanabi."_

 _The teen gritted her teeth and assumed the beginning stance once more. They started practicing before the sun had even risen that morning. Since then they'd been cloistered off in the dojo for hours. She had no idea how long they'd been at it but her muscles screamed for her to stop. Sweat dripped down her brow and some of it got in her eye but she resisted the urge to rub the burning sensation away._

 _A Hyuuga fighter was meant to be focused. Nothing should ever distract them. Gracefully she moved from the first position to the second. The second to the third. She tried to make sure that her arms stayed straight and her stance firm, immovable, as she did so._

" _Faster."_

 _"Yes, Otou-san."_

 _She moved straight into the beginning of the sequence as soon as she finished the last move effortlessly. She swung faster, twisted more smoothly._

" _Faster."_

 _This time when she tried to pick up her speed, her ankle twisted awkwardly and she stumbled forward. Fortunately, she didn't fall but it was frustrating to constantly be getting in her own way._

" _Try again." He father ordered simply._

 _She took a deep breath and closed her eyes. The prospect of trying again hurt but she couldn't give up. She wouldn't. Determine, she assumed the first position and her father nodded approvingly._

 _"You are small Hanabi. You will never win in a fight using brute force. " he said as he walked forward and made small adjustments to her back and arm._

" _The only way for you to gain the upper hand is to be smarter than your opponent. Faster than they can hope to catch. Use your size to your advantage and endure even when it hurts. Endure because it hurts. As the future of our clan, you will learn this lesson in more ways than one."_

 _He backed away from her and folded his hands into the sleeves of his kimono. It was hot. Her legs hurt from the repetitive kicking. A gust of wind would be enough to knock over her form and yet. She would endure. She would endure because it hurt…_

…."Up and at it men! Wake up!"

Hanabi groaned and opened her eyes. There wasn't much difference in the level of darkness despite the action. For a moment she felt as if she were back in her own room, staring at the dark ceiling before the sun rose. That feeling didn't last for long since on either side of her, Udon and Konohamaru were having a snoring contest.

She grimaced as she sat up and rubbed her eyes with the heels of her hands. It had taken her forever to fall asleep last night. Part of the reason was due to sleeping in a new location. The larger culprits of her insomnia were her two tentmates. Konohamaru had been all too happy to share his life story into the wee hours of the morning. Not that Hanabi had cared enough to remember anything he said. Udon, on the other hand, wasn't so forthcoming but when he spoke he sounded like he was on the verge of crying. That made him just as annoying as the overly talkative Konohamaru in her book.

It felt like she'd only just closed her eyes and now it was morning. She let out a sigh and ran her fingers through her hair only to be met with barely a stroke. Her long brown locks were gone and now her hair barely reached her ears. Some of the front locks still flopped in her face but it wasn't the same. For a Hyuuga, it was a tradition for them to grow their hair out long…a badge of honor.

' _It's just hair.'_ Hanabi scolded herself. _'It will grow back soon enough and I'll grow it out even longer than Neji-nii.'_

Her thoughts provided her little comfort but she pushed aside her own insecurities in favor of getting ready. From just outside the tent she could hear the shuffling of masses. That must mean she needed to get ready quickly. She debated for a moment whether she should wake her tentmates. They'd kept her up for so long last night that a bit of revenge was reasonable. Unfortunately, she imagined Hinata giving her a disappointed look and begrudgingly shook the boys awake.

Konohamaru was the first to wake up with a start as soon as she touched his shoulder. He heard the horn blaring outside of the tent and was immediately on his feet. The blanket that had been covering him fell to the floor as he hopped up and she got quite the eyeful of _something large_ protruding in his pants. Unwilling to see such an appendage on Udon, Hanabi slipped out of the tent and left Konohamaru to his own devices. Was this how every morning would start from now on? Hanabi shuddered at the thought.

Now outside of the tent she wasn't sure what she should do but figured that the best course of action would be to slip in with the crowd of men milling towards the food tent from the night before. Her stomach growled at the prospect of food while her brain shivered with disgust.

' _I said there was more. I never said it was better.'_

'More' was the understatement of a century. Last night her tray had been saddled with two different kinds of stews and more rice than she could ever hope to eat in one sitting. Since she couldn't identify the meat in the bland stews that had been provided, she stuck to the few vegetables that were available. She wasn't looking forward to what breakfast would hold this morning but it was better than nothing. Sighing inwardly, Hanabi moved seamlessly with the crowd but was stopped before she reached the food tent by a hand on her shoulders. She froze instantly, the fear of being figured out seizing her heart until she slowly turned around to see a man smiling broadly at her.

"Yo!" the tall man said with a small salute. "You're the lone Hyuuga that got picked up yesterday right?"

Hanabi nodded slowly, keeping silent as Moegi had instructed her to. The man's smile faltered slightly and he rubbed his eyes as if he couldn't trust them.

"Have we met before?" he asked.

Wait? What?! How could they have possibly met before? Inside of the Hyuuga Compound, they'd rarely received visitors. Her father specifically kept her and her sister away from any of the visitors that did have the privilege of visiting the Compound. Nervously she took a step back and shook her head. The man bent at his waist and stared hard at her, his nose nearly brushing against hers as he did so.

"Are you sure? You look familiar…"

"Shisui." A familiar voice said and the man named Shisui straightened with a mischievous smile.

"Oi Itachi-kun. Doesn't he look familiar?"

Itachi? Hanabi's eyes widened as she looked upon the stranger from yesterday at Shisui's side. _He_ was Itachi? Moegi had also mentioned that he was the Commander. If that was true then that meant he was in charge of this army! If he was in charge then Hinata….Hinata was now the Uchiha Matriarch! Her heart fluttered quickly with happiness for her sister. She could already picture her in the elaborate kimonos that a matriarch was supposed to wear. She would be a kind leader to the Uchiha. Unfortunately, her happiness was short-lived when a rough hand came up to her face and pinched her face. With her lips squeezed together like a fish, she was pulled forward to Itachi.

"C'mon." Shisui whined. "You can't tell me that his face doesn't remind you of our Hina-hime! Is that why you picked him up? You're not usually so charitable."

Itachi didn't answer Shisui's question. Instead, he folded his hands into the sleeves of his kimono and turned away.

"We are leaving now." He said flatly and Shisui's hand finally released her face.

"Itachi-kun you're no fun! I can't believe you already have the horses ready. You're a slave driver I tell ya!"

Hanabi rubbed her cheeks with both hands as she watched the two men depart.

"So that's Uchiha Itachi." She whispered.

Mentally she debated running after him and trying to reveal who she was but his figure melted away with the crowd of men. By the time the crowd thinned he was nowhere to be seen.

"Hey, Hyuuga!" Konohamaru shouted, his black top flapping open as he tried to shove one arm through the sleeve. He didn't stop running when he reached her either. Instead, he rushed past her and called over his shoulder. "If you don't hurry up the other guys will eat everything!"

' _Breakfast…right.'_ Hanabi thought with a groan and her stomach flipped uncomfortably.

 _ **To be continued…**_

 _My life,_

 _How much more of it remains?_

 _The night is brief._


	13. Chapter 13

**CCNote: Enjoy and don't forget to leave a REVIEW!**

 **The People Have Heard**

 _My life,_

 _How much more of it remains?_

 _The night is brief_

 ** _(Masaoka Shiki)_**

 ** _The Twenty-fifth Spring of the Karasu_**

 ** _Inuzuka Stronghold_**

 ** _..._**

"It's nice to be out riding together isn't it cousin? Just like old times."

Itachi nodded absently, the Inuzuka stronghold on the near horizon. This was where he would hopefully get the answers he needed. If not answers then men. He could not leave empty-handed from another clan. The journey to the Inuzuka had been easy enough. It was only a few days ride from the encampment and Shisui was a trustworthy companion. Now came the hard part.

He sighed as they approached the gate to the Inuzuka clan. They were a small clan of less prestige but what they lacked in honor they more than made up for in pride. The two guards regarded him and Shisui warily, their swords drawn as soon as they dismounted from their horses.

"Now now gentlemen we come before you peacefully." Shisui said with a smile. "I'm Uchiha Shisui and my companion here is the new Uchiha Commander. We humbly-"

"Enough with the flowery speech. What do you want?" One of the guards demanded. The other spat at their feet. Unfazed by their rude behavior, Shisui bowed.

"An audience with Inuzuka-sama, if you would be so kind."

The two guards growled, their upper lips curling as they did so. It was more than evident that they did not want to give in to their request but what choice did they have? They could protest and grouse all they wanted but they could not deny the speartip of the Emperor's army. Reluctantly they sheathed their swords and pushed open the gate to let them inside. Shisui smiled brightly at the guards as they passed through, their malice feeding his positive attitude further.

"What a warm welcome this is." He muttered and Itachi couldn't help but agree with his sarcasm.

The inside of the Inuzuka stronghold was smaller than the Uchiha District and considerably poorer. Being that it was the middle of the day, children ran through the muddy streets with dogs that looked just as hungry as they were. The homes were smaller nearest the gate but gradually got bigger the closer they got to the Inuzuka mansion on the hill. However, even the nicer houses couldn't hold a candle to the ones in the District. He knew that he shouldn't compare the lives of those within lesser clans with his own but it made him wonder how they were managed so poorly. It wasn't like they were not well compensated after each campaign so where did the money go?

Itachi shook his head and focused on following the guards up to the Inuzuka mansion. The economic precariousness of this clan was not his main concern. The only thing he needed to focus on was speaking to the one woman who may have the answers he was seeking.

 **….**

Fourteen days.

Fourteen days of pointless feasts and even worse company. He grew increasingly anxious the longer he spent within the company of the Inuzuka. This was not supposed to take this long. Fourteen days. Fourteen days wasted. He needed to return to the encampment but he couldn't. Not yet.

Itachi considered himself a careful man. He was not ambitious like his father, a trait that Sasuke had been the one to inherit. Nor was he as vibrant as his mother whose very presence lit up whatever room she was in. Instead, he had a natural talent for the sword and strategy. His generals praised his diplomacy and his soldiers followed his orders obediently. The loyalty did not go to his head. He would never take a step before thinking twice about all possible outcomes.

He was careful. Precise.

He'd thought of all possible stipulations but this was one that he hadn't expected. As the Uchiha calmly sat before the Inuzuka, he did his best to keep his face as impassive as possible. Even though their matriarch was being unreasonable. Even though time was of the essence and he couldn't waste another day waiting around.

"Has Inuzuka-sama come to a decision about our request?" Itachi asked, keeping all internal irritation out of his voice.

Inuzuka Hana cocked her head slightly to the side and tapped the edge of her chin with her finger. She was a tall woman, nearly as tall as he was, with brown eyes that always appeared to be up to something.

"Has she spoken to you at all?" Hana asked innocently.

Itachi didn't reply. They both knew that the matriarch had been refusing his audience for the last week. Hana ran a hand through her unruly brown hair and smirked.

"You Uchiha have always been impatient ones, haven't you? I hoped that _you_ might be better than your father." She sighed. "You're boring but at least you don't fuck just anything with a pretty face so I'll give you that. Although our whores are sad that they won't get paid during this visit and their beds grow cold. You did just get married though didn't you? Is she pretty enough to keep you faithful?"

"Please inform Inuzuka-sama that I request a meeting with her at the earliest convenience." Itachi interrupted.

His words were without malice. He just didn't have time for another one of Hana's ramblings, he got enough of them from the whispers of her clan members in the halls. They didn't whisper well either. The Inuzuka were known for their strength, not their discretion. Hana was unfazed by his interruption and merely shrugged as she reached out to give his upper arm a light squeeze.

"Aw, you're so kind to say please." She cooed. "However if she hasn't seen you by now, she won't see you at all. We helped you on the last campaign and lost over a third of our men. The gold we got in return does little to dry the tears of widows and orphans. Send your own son in twenty years when the memories aren't so fresh and we've reared more boys for the slaughter hm?"

With that, she turned and left him alone in the hallway. Itachi watched her go with a frown. He couldn't blame the Inuzuka for being reluctant to send their boys for training. He couldn't guarantee their safety and that things would not escalate into a war. The scrolls his father had given him were essentially death certificates for what could be hundreds of men. His father had been so cavalier about it, his plans set in stone in his own mind. To him the lives of those in the lesser clans were insignificant. All that mattered was the Uchiha. The Inuzuka were proving to be not much different in that aspect.

"Ah." A voice sighed from behind him. He didn't even have to turn around to know that it was Shisui.

"Did you strike out again Itachi-kun? Don't take it too personally. No one is more stubborn than a woman from the Inuzuka. Consider yourself lucky that I did not choose Hana as your bride, this frown on your face would become permanent if I had."

Itachi rolled his eyes but a small part of him was amused. Shisui smirked at him grabbed his face with both hands, using his thumbs to upturn his lips.

"If something is funny, you should smile cousin." He teased. "You look so pretty when you smile or at least that's what the servants say."

The Commander smacked his hands away but the bad mood he'd previously been in dissipated.

"Have you come up with any information?" Itachi asked and Shisui's smile fell.

"No, no one has heard anything about Uchiha-sama. This was supposed to be his first stop before he went on to the capital but he never arrived. The most I've been able to glean is that some of the clan members are pissed because the feast that was supposed to held in his honor went to rot."

Itachi closed his eyes at the limited information and tried to assemble it with the rest of what he knew. At some point in the last month, his father had been captured. It had to have taken place well after he'd left for the District but before he'd reached the Inuzuka. Where he was now could be anyone's guess. If he was alive was an even bigger gamble. The Inuzuka _had_ to know something.

Their lands were not vast like the Uchiha District nor as isolated as the Hyuuga Compound. A days ride on either side were the Aburume and the Yamanaka. Travelers frequented the roads constantly so someone had to have noticed a small skirmish arise. He had no proof but the feeling in his gut wouldn't let him leave until he got to the bottom of this. He just needed to speak to the Inuzuka matriarch. Rubbing his temples in frustration, Itachi let out a slow, measured breath through his nose.

"Have you been able to figure out why Tsume won't take my audience?" he asked Shisui. Her avoidance of him was becoming insulting.

"Well…about that-"

"I know why." A voice interrupted and both men turned to see a side door open.

A tanned hand reached out and waved for them to enter the room before disappearing once more. Itachi looked warily at the invitation. One should never enter rooms without an understanding of its occupants' intentions. Still, he didn't have much of a choice but to follow so he entered the room with part of his mind ready to grab his hidden dagger at any moment.

Inside of the room he found his anxiety to not be warranted. There was only one person standing before him, a boy that looked to be around the same age as his own brother. His brown eyes defiantly narrowed in his presence and his arms crossed. He was trying to look confident, perhaps he was but Itachi was not convinced. The small twitch of his lips. The forced eye contact. All of it was a tell to the nervousness of the one that had summoned them.

"You're that jerk Sasuke's older brother right?" he asked.

Itachi nodded, slightly surprised at the abrasive way the young man opened this conversation.

"I am and you are?"

"I'm the one asking the questions here."

At that Shisui let a snicker slip but quickly corrected his behavior. The brunette glared at them intently and took a step forward.

"If you're here to threaten my mother again I suggest you leave while all of your pieces are still attached."

"We are not here to threaten anyone." Itachi said but a sinking feeling settled into the bottom of his stomach. "Someone _has_ though. Who?"

The young man shifted his weight from one foot to the other, unsure of whether he should speak or not. It reminded him of Sasuke when he wanted something but didn't want to ask straight out. Eventually, after weighing all of his options, the Inuzuka looked back at him with a bit of his confidence regained.

"If I tell you will you leave? My mother hasn't eaten or slept properly since the day you two arrived. She's only let you stay this long because doesn't want a fight."

Itachi frowned but nodded his agreement to the Inuzuka's terms.

"I didn't see his face but I know his voice. I've been in the palace enough times to not mistake it for anyone else's..."

Itachi felt his blood freeze in his veins before the name even slipped from the young man's mouth. The one man he told his father not to trust...Danzo.

' _A man does not plant an orchard so that he may enjoy the shade.'_

If only his father had realized that the soil he'd been tilling had fallen fallow and all the trees that did grow would yield no fruit.

 **….**

"It's the Commander!"

"Make way! Make way!"

"Someone see to his horse!"

"All this fuss." Shisui chuckled as they dismounted on the edge of the encampment. "You'd think we've been gone for a lifetime."

"Two and a half weeks nearly is." Itachi replied.

They'd been gone too long. Already the encampment had doubled in size with the number of new recruits his generals had brought and there would be more to come soon. He could smell the human waste wafting downwind towards the camp and it made bile rise to the back of his throat. The tents were crowded close together and trash littered the ground. Crouching down, Itachi picked up a dulled kunai from the dirt and frowned.

This was not the way he wanted to run his troops. He stood with a huff and walked through the crowded area towards his own tent. Unlike his father who preferred to stay in the center of the camp, he usually set up his tent on the outskirts. Unfortunately, the camp had expanded so much that his tent now lay only a few feet away from where several unfamiliar faces were now practicing their archery. Itachi watched as the boys futilely knocked their arrows and pitifully attempted to set them loose. Most of them couldn't even hold the bow and arrow at the same time and the others were too busy playing around to notice his approach.

"This is unacceptable Shisui." He said flatly before entering his tent.

His cousin didn't follow him inside of the dark enclosure, the sound of hurried yelling and the march of feet told him all he needed to know. As chaos raged on outside his tent, Itachi moved to the low lying table in the middle of the room and slowly began to shrug out of the sleeves of his navy yukata. The excess silk fell to his waist, the low lying obi the only thing keeping the rest from falling. Although the air inside of the tent was stuffy it was enough to relax the tension in his shoulders. This entire endeavor was proving to be a lot harder than he anticipated. He needed to eat. He needed a nap. He needed…he needed peace but that was nowhere to be found. At least, for now, a brief nap was in reach. He'd sleep for a moment and whip the camp into shape afterward. Running a tired hand over his face, Itachi laid his head on the table and quickly fell asleep...

…. _She was beautiful when she smiled. She smiled enough for both of them, late at night when the only others awake were the cicadas. When he went to breakfast and she was there with the others to serve. As she poured their tea in the morning and Sasuke begged him to train. When she hung the laundry and he passed by in the courtyard. When he stood outside her door and she invited him. She smiled even in her sleep although she knew that when she opened her eyes he would no longer be by her side. Even on the morning she left…the morning after he'd ended everything and her fellow clansmen as they bade her farewell. She smiled._

 _Uchiha Izumi._

 _He could see her now. Her long brown hair spread freely on the bed as he made love to her. As black eyes looked up at him with a lust that mirrored his own. He would almost say it was love but the only room he had in his heart was for his mother and brother. This though…this came close. Her nails dug into his back, bringing a small tinge of pain to the pleasure of being inside of her. Yet…_

" _Itachi."_

 _When she moaned the voice that came out was not the same. It was not the Izumi he knew. He paused midstroke and pulled out. Underneath him was not Izumi but his wife. Large pale eyes stared back at him, confused and hurt._

" _Itachi…I…I'm sorry. Did I do something wrong?"_

 _Guilt and apologies rose to his tongue but when he blinked Izumi had returned. Her eyes were now puffy with tears as she covered her chest with her arms._

" _Why did you send me away Itachi? She can't expect to have all of you."_

" _Itachi."_

 _Itachi_

 _Itachi…._

 _ **Thunk**_

 _ **Thunk**_

The Uchiha groaned as he lifted his head from the table. The hunched over position he'd fallen asleep made his back hurt and a mild headache began to form just behind his right eye. He should have taken the time to roll out his bedding and cursed himself for the negligence. Even if he had laid out his futon his sleep wouldn't have been more restful. His dreams were always the same rotating wheel of misfortune that followed him when he was awake.

 _ **Thunk**_

 _ **Thunk**_

 _ **Thunk**_

His regrets. His shortcomings. It was selfish of him to still keep thoughts of Izumi still in his heart. After three years she would have surely moved on. He _hoped_ that she would. Being stationed in the capital would give her so much more freedom to move around, especially if no one from the immediate family was visiting. She could do as she pleased and meet someone that could actually make her more than a servant. Had she met someone else? Had she moved on?

 _ **Thunk**_

 _ **Thunk**_

 _ **Thunk**_

Itachi untied the cord that held his hair back and ran his fingers through it in an effort to brush away his troubling thoughts. He had more pertinent things to be concerned about. The most pressing issue at the moment was to get his camp in order.

 _ **Thunk**_

He also needed to murder whoever was making all of that noise outside his tent. Growling under his breath, Itachi marched out of the tent to flay the culprits. However, he wasn't met with the boisterous crowd that had been outside when he'd arrived. Instead, there was only one person practicing their archery now as the sun was beginning to set. He'd give it to the boy, he was at least able to hold the bow and arrow at the same time but their accuracy was abysmal. There were several arrows embedded in the surrounding trees and more scattered about the ground. Not a single one had made it into the target. Currently, they were standing with their back to him and their form was sloppy. Feet too close together and the bow looked as it was controlling them rather than the other way around.

"You're going to miss." Itachi grunted, causing the boy to jump and let the arrow loose.

"Dammit! You distracted me!" he hissed and whirled around.

Pale eyes were narrowed at him in anger for a moment and he almost laughed. There was absolutely nothing intimidating about the Hyuuga. A Hyuuga that saw dragons when there were none. He was a bit cleaner than the day Itachi had found him wandering in the woods. It wasn't much better though. Why was this Hyuuga such a magnet for dirt and grime?

"If I am able to distract you so easily, in battle you will be the first to die." Itachi quipped and crossed his arms over his bare chest. "What are you doing here? Shisui should have cleared all of you out to a different area."

The Hyuuga blinked and looked around.

"Is that why everyone is gone?" he said and looked down at his bow. "I just wanted to practice without being disturbed."

"Well, you're not very good."

"That's because everyone was hogging the bows!"

"Do not blame others for your lack of assertion. Stand your ground or someone will stand on it for you." Itachi quipped.

Closing the distance between them, he took the bow from the boy's possession. He then picked up one of the many arrows that littered the ground. Smoothly he raised the bow over his head, lowered it to knock, and let the arrow loose in only half a breath. He didn't need to look at the target to know that he'd hit it squarely in the center. The look of shock on the Hyuuga's face was evidence enough.

"How did you do that?!" he asked breathlessly. "Could you show me how?"

Itachi felt his lips twitch at the astonishment in the Hyuuga's voice and the clear admiration beginning to form in their eyes. Sasuke used to look at him like that. Like he was some kind of hero that could do anything. He'd beg to be taught…to be just as good. Unfortunately, he was unable to indulge Sasuke with such skills. How to kill another human being was not something his brother should know. This boy however….as he stared up at him with that same wonderment…this boy would need to learn. Otherwise, he would die. A lucky dragon or not. They all needed to learn.

"Clean this up." Itachi said as he returned the bow to the boy. He then pulled up the upper half of the yukata hanging around his waist and slipped his arms through the sleeves.

"But wait I need to-"

"What you need at the moment is irrelevant. The sun is setting and trying to shoot in the dark is a pointless endeavor even for a dragon. Clean this up and head to dinner."

With that, he left the Hyuuga sputtering behind him. He needed to find Shisui. Over two weeks had been pissed down a creek with the Inuzuka but not an hour more. At dawn things were going to change.

 **…..**

"Report."

"The Yamanaka were able to spare only a few men. They took the hardest hit the last time and are reluctant to send more."

"Supply stores are full. We will be ready to mobilize to a larger area in a days time."

"We have yet to receive any response from the shogunate on the capture of Uchiha-sama. There has been bad weather near the capital so that could be the cause for the delay."

Itachi nodded as all of the information from his generals washed over him. They'd been discussing updates since the end of dinner and although the moon was shining brightly outside of the tent not a single one appeared fatigue. When Uchiha were slighted they did not grow complacent until their score was settled. Their determination steeled his own nerves despite how complicated things were turning out to be.

"Is this all?" Itachi asked as a lull fell over the group. His men nodded and so he shifted to rest his chin on his fist. "Has anyone found any leads to the former Commander? Although he was accompanied by a small group, decorated warriors do not disappear that easily."

His men conversed nervously around him. They all had the same suspicions he did and had also faced obstacles. No one of consequence would talk to them. The only good news was that there were plenty of poor clanless men to train. Sighing, Itachi bowed to his men and bid them leave.

"Sleep well tonight. We will reconvene in the morning." He said and the men filed out of the tent, worried but not discouraged.

When they were gone, the Uchiha turned to his right where Shisui was still perched as if he hadn't been dismissed.

"Shouldn't you be getting to bed? The thing you care about most in this world is your sleep." Itachi smirked but the expression faltered at the serious look on his cousin's face.

"Actually Itachi." Shisui began as he pulled a scroll out of his sleeve. "This came for you shortly after we got back today."

Itachi accepted the scroll, his brow furrowing at the foreign seal that kept it closed. He made quick work of the seal and was met with only a few words.

 _ **The people have heard.**_

"What does that mean?" Shisui asked as he read the short note from over Itachi's shoulder.

The words sounded familiar. An irritating recognition mingled at the front of his mind but he couldn't quite place where.

"The people have heard…." He mumbled. "Shisui, head back to the District with as many as you can and rally any men not already sent to fight with us. We need to protect the District."

"Itachi! I understand that this note is ominous but don't you think you're being a bit paranoid? Alone it will take a month to reach the District. With men it will take even longer-"

"Do you trust me cousin?"

"Yes but-"

"Then do not question me."

Shisui's protest ceased but the worry on his face was still apparent. The voice he used to speak was his own. His words his own. Yet when he looked into Shisui's eyes his own face was reflected and there he saw his father.

' _Do not question me.'_

"As you wish Itachi-kun." Shisui said, a small smile appearing on his face. "Would you like me to bring a message with me for Sasu-bo and Hina-hime? I'm sure your mother would like to hear from you as well."

At the prospect of writing to his family, Itachi let out a tired breath. He didn't want to write home without some kind of accomplishment to note. All he'd succeeded in was having a camp in shambles, clan heads that refused to speak with him, and a father that was still missing. Father…he had to tell Hinata about her father.

"Itachi…there are a great many things weighing on your mind and shoulders," Shisui said. "There is a lot that needs to be done here at the camp before I leave. Now I am not questioning your decision to fortify the District, however, before I leave at least allow me to help you with this burden. Until we get a lead on Uchiha-sama. Even if it's just a faint clue. I just need to know you will be alright on your own before I go. Allow me this one selfish wish."

"Shisui…"

He spoke the truth. Shisui was the only one among his generals that he trusted implicitly. If there was anyone to help him out of this mess…Shisui would be the one to do it. Rubbing a hand over his face, Itachi closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Maybe he was just being paranoid.

"Bring me something to write with and the fastest rider. The least we can do is tell my mother to be on alert and not let anyone enter or leave the District." He said and Shisui nodded approvingly.

"As you wish Commander."

"And Shisui…" he started guiltily.

The older Uchiha simply smiled and rose from his seat at the table.

"Don't apologize Itachi. When it comes to your convictions, stick to them always. I promise that as soon as you are secure I will return to the District with our best and protect everyone with my life if the need arises."

As his cousin left, Itachi laid back on the ground and stared up at the folds of the tent. He hoped that the need for Shisui to risk his life never arose. Taking a deep breath he closed his eyes and tried to organize the jumble of thoughts in his mind.

 _ **The people have heard…**_

 _ **The people have heard…**_

Why did those words sound so familiar? Why did the thought of them bring about the smell of ash and the taste of blood?

 _ **The people have heard….**_

 _ **To be continued….**_

 _The lamp once out_

 _Cool stars enter_

 _The window frame._

 ** _(Natsume Soseki)_**


	14. Chapter 14

**CCNote** **: This would have been out sooner if my computer had not deleted half of it in spite. There are some mistakes but overlook them. Please enjoy and don't forget to leave a REVIEW! Reviews don't make me update faster but they do make me happy and a happy author is a good thing right? ANYWAY, it's Thanksgiving in Japan so a random Friday off yay (idk why they have thanksgiving here and neither does anyone else cuz I've asked) so I'll be visiting Yokohama and Nagoya. If you wanna see some fun Snaps just message me.**

 **Please**

 _The lamp once out_

 _Cool stars enter_

 _The window frame._

 _ **(Natsume Soseki)**_

 _ **The Twentieth Spring of the Hato**_

 _ **Uchiha District- Atami Shrine**_

 **…..**

If Hinata hadn't known better, she would have thought Mikoto was only sleeping. Her attendants had made her body look perfect for it's burning. Dressed in a plain white kimono and her long black hair unbound, it was the simplest she'd ever seen her mother in law look. She was beautiful but the noose's imprint was still visible on her pale skin. Her eyes would never again open. She would never speak, never laugh. Hinata bit her lower lip and tried to choke back the tears that threatened to run down her cheeks. She couldn't cry. She had to be strong. She had to. _Tomorrow_ they would burn her body. She had to stay strong until then.

The new matriarch took a shaky breath and left the shrine full of mourners paying their respects. She wanted nothing more than to remain by Mikoto's side until the time came for her earthly body to be burned but she had her own duties to attend to. There was so much she left behind to do.

The Shiro was silent as she made her way to her new quarters despite the fact that it was nearly full to bursting with occupants. As she passed them in the halls, people would immediately stop what they were doing to bow to her.

They dropped to their knees, their noses pressed into the floor and prayed that she would live a long life. They prayed for her health. They prayed for a son. Her stained sheets had been burned to ask the gods for a son. They all prayed for the Uchiha line to remain strong and healthy through her. She tried to block out their signs of fielty. It embarrassed her to no end but what could she do to stop them? Part of the mourning process meant keeping hope alive for a better future. Without hope, they would be left with nothing.

Hope. She had to have hope.

Sighing, Hinata entered her new chambers to find the first rooms a mess but thankfully empty. She immediately made a beeline for one of the overstuffed cushions and sat down. Her feet ached miserably and throbbed now that she was no longer walking, reminding her of how long she'd been on them all day. It wouldn't be so bad if Sasuke was around to help her with her new clan duties but alas he'd locked himself off from the world after the discovery of his mother's suicide. Of course, anything that he could use to harm himself had been discreetly removed from his rooms. It probably made him angrier to be treated like a child but they couldn't be too careful. They couldn't risk yet another Uchiha tragedy. The sliding door to the bedroom brought Hinata out of her thoughts and she turned her weary head to see Temari coming out of the bedroom with a box in her arms.

"Oh, Temari-san." Hinata greeted tiredly. "I thought I was alone."

"My apologies, I'll be leaving shortly. This is the last box that needs to be cleared out."

Hinata nodded and watched Temari head to the front chamber door. Mikoto had so many treasures tucked away in this room. It still smelled like her…felt like her. Now the last of it was being carried away to be burned with her body. In the event of a suicide, nothing was supposed to be left of the person that passed. Their spirit would remain and could harm the new owner. That wasn't true though. Even if Mikoto's spirit lived on it would not harm her and getting rid of every trace of her hurt more.

"Temari-san, wait." Hinata called out just as the blonde had slid open the door a crack.

"Is something wrong?"

Hinata shook her head and slowly stood despite the soreness of her limbs. She then crossed the room and peered into the box Temari was carrying. She'd expected more expensive jewels and silks but instead, there were only books. Old battered books that looked as if they'd seen better days. Curiously, Hinata picked up the top one and marveled at how soft the well wore leather felt beneath her fingertips. She then flipped open the cover and the immaculate penmanship of Mikoto's hand greeted her.

… _ **Do you believe in love at first sight?**_

 _ **I think….I think that I do….**_

"These are her journals. Where did you find this?" she asked softly and Temari shifted her weight from one foot to the other.

"Beneath the floorboards but Hinata, you shouldn't look at these." Temari said as she took a half step back with the box. "It will only hurt you."

"Temari-san…I…I want to see it."

Hinata watched as Temari looked nervously to the door. She shouldn't allow the contents of the box to remain. If anything held Mikoto's spirit these journals would be it.

"Please…"

"Don't look at me like that Hinata-san." Temari sighed and set the box on the table.

Hinata smiled and threw her arms around the older girl's neck.

"Thank you Temari."

She stiffened under her embrace and from the lack of an honorific but Hinata didn't mind. She was just happy that Temari would allow the journals to remain. She gave Temari one last squeeze before stepping away and eyeing the journal in her hand.

 _ **Do you believe in love at first sight?**_

 **… _.._**

 _'Uchiha Mikoto.'_ Hinata thought as she opened the journal and flipped to the first place. _'Who are you?'_

The Shiro and the District that surrounded it had gone still. Until the matriarchs body was burned when the sun rose, they would remain silent. Hinata found the silence eery, unsettling, and in the back of her mind, she knew that this mourning period would come again. She shook her head and took a deep breath. She shouldn't think like this. Everything was going to be okay. The new matriarch leaned back against the large oak tree and looked out at the quiet courtyard below.

All of this…from every rock to every babe yet to be born was her responsibility until Itachi returned. After Mikoto's body was burned and the ashes scattered they would all look to her for what to do next. For finances, for a solution, for a child. Hinata placed a hand on her barren stomach and bit her bottom lip. She'd already failed at her first duty as a wife to Itachi…there was no telling what else she would mess up.

In an effort to distract herself from her worries, Hinata focused on the words written by a younger Mikoto that laid before her. Her writing was normally immaculate but this script was shaky and uneven, The pages were wrinkled from being exposed to moisture at some point and the ink was smudged. However, the words in front of her made her heart ache with a bittersweet happiness as she read them.

 _ **He is so smart, smarter than anyone had expected.**_

 _ **They call him a prodigy and the word fills my heart with fear. Itachi is a gentle boy but I'm afraid that the interest they take in him is more than the hope for their next leader. Fugaku is so proud of him too. Everything Itachi does excites him. Will he be even happier when I tell him what I've been suspecting for months? Oh, I hope so….**_

… _ **.**_

 _ **Many moons have gone by since the last time I picked up a brush. It is difficult to keep writing when I am so tired but I will try to do my best so that I don't forget a thing. When I am old and I pray I will read this words and pray that they spark a memory.**_

 _ **It hurt even more than the last time. I have never known a pain so severe that I wished to die and yet somehow I prevailed. Despite the pain, I am rewarded with a gift more perfect than I could have imagined. Ten fingers. Ten toes. A boy. I feared that it would be a girl but I am filled with a sense of relief. My heart can't help but flutter when he cries because it reminds me that he is flesh and blood and bone. It's so surreal to see the face of the child I carried. Itachi is just as mesmerized as I am but Fugaku…he's so distant. He does not feel the same relief that I do. I fear that he hoped for a girl…a girl that could be promised to the newborn prince.**_

 _ **He has not touched him since he bestowed his name but he will get over it. As soon as he returns from the palace he will see the face of his son and love him as he did the day he first laid eyes on Itachi. He will love him.**_

 _ **Uchiha Sasuke, your father will love you just as much as I do…**_

…

 _ **Sasuke, you smiled at Itachi today for the first time. It could have been gas. It could have been a random flinch but you smiled and everything has fallen into place. I haven't seen Itachi look so happy in a long time…**_

… _ **.**_

 _ **Sasuke…**_

 _ **Itachi…**_

Hinata sniffed, a watery smile on her lips as she read of Mikoto's hopes and dreams. Her love and her joy. It was overflowing with every page, secret wishes that no one knew but her. She read until her eyes grew heavy and even then she still pushed herself to read more. It wasn't until she'd fallen asleep that she finally stopped….

… _..She wasn't supposed to be doing this. She should be studying with her tutor but the day was too beautiful to let pass her by indoors. The sun was shining brightly and the birds were chirping. The entire world just beckoned for her to with it. Was she so wrong to heed such an alluring call?_

 _Mikoto giggled to herself as she raced to the large oak tree at the top of the hill. She'd left her shoes far behind and the grass between her toes felt exhilarating. If Uchiha-sama saw her now she would be absolutely livid. She could already see the red-faced matriarch in her mind's eye all puffed up and fuming. The woman was going to give herself a heart attack if she wasn't careful. Smiling, Mikoto picked up her pace to the tree and didn't stop until she reached the trunk. The bark was rough beneath her fingertips as she walked around the perimeter, admiring the vast Shiro below the hill. The Uchiha District was beautiful. Soon…soon it would all be hers._

" _What are you doing?" an unfamiliar voice called out._

 _Mikoto jumped and spun around but the source was nowhere to be found. The only company she had was the tree._

 _"It isn't polite to hide."_

" _I could say the same about running away."_

" _Who says I'm running away?" She scoffed defensively as she walked around the circumference of the tree to see if she could catch the voice._

" _I saw you sneak out through the library window."_

" _So now you're a spy and you're rude."_

" _And you like to insult people."_

 _Although she didn't like the voice's attitude she did enjoy the back and forth. It had been too long since she'd spoken to anyone not trying to teach her something._

" _It's not insulting if it's the truth."_

 _The voice chuckled and with a rustle from above, a body dropped down from one of it's branched. Surprised by the suddenness of the drop she jumped, her hand pressed over her heart. He was handsome and the smirk he wore impossibly cocky as he approached her. With each step he took forward she took another back until she bumped up against the rough bark. He looked at her with eyes full of curiosity and she felt her entire body heat under his gaze. She shouldn't be looking at him…she should only look at her husband. If Uchiha-sama found her this way, alone with a man…._

" _You had a sharp tongue when you couldn't see me. Where did it go…Oku-san."_

… _.._

"What are you doing?"

Hinata's eyes snapped open at the question, her dream immediately slipping from her mind. Standing before her with his arms crossed and a scowl on his face was Sasuke. Though his expression was made to convey irritation with her it lacked its usual bite. It was hard to appear intimidating when one looked as if they hadn't slept in days.

"Uchiha-san…" she started as she rose to tired feet.

"The entire Shiro has been looking for you." He said flatly and Hinata ducked her head shamefully.

"I'm sorry I just-"

"Fell asleep. It must be nice to be so carefree."

"Uchiha-san-"

"Go back to your room so that they call off this troublesome search."

"If it's so troublesome why are you out here looking for me?" she asked, a strange mix of indignation and guilt bubbled in the pit of her stomach at his admonishment.

The glare he sent her way did nothing to assuage her unease. The fatigue in his eyes slipped away and the intensity of his spite caused her to take a step back. The roughness of the tree's back on her yukata told her that there was no escaping the mess she'd made. For the first time she'd met him she felt…afraid. The journal she'd been clutching fell from her numb fingers to lie in the grass at her feet.

"Do not flatter yourself _Uchiha-sama_." He said, his voice low and dangerous as he closed the distance between them. "Now go back to playing matriarch so that the elders don't have a heart attack."

' _When you smiled…everything fell into place.'_

Mikoto's writings echoed in her mind but she couldn't fathom how they were true. The boy she loved with every piece of her heart had grown into a spiteful, unyielding man. Was it even possible for someone like him to smile when his face was always on the verge of a grimace? How was it possible for Mikoto to care so tenderly for someone like him? He couldn't even find it in his heart to attend her services at the shrine… She turned her head from his intense glare, her eyes narrowed at the blades of grass. How Itachi and Mikoto had any love in their hearts for this man was beyond her. Nervously, she pressed her hand against Sasuke's chest and pushed him away.

"Don't stand so close to me Uchiha-san." She muttered and quickly slipped away to return to the safety of the Shiro.

As she shuffled away, her heartbeat thundered in her ears from the fear that he would follow her. Thankfully he didn't and by the time the first servant saw her in the light, she was immediately enveloped in inquires towards her well being.

' _When you smiled…'_

Hinata bit her lower lip as she was led inside and shook her head. It was not possible for someone like him to smile. Not anymore.

 **…..**

The next morning, Hinata found herself staring unwaveringly at the funeral pyre. Billowing towers of black smoke rose up to the heavens and turned day to night. The doors to the Shiro had been thrown open to invite all of the members of the clan to say their final goodbyes to the matriarch that so many of them had come to adore.

A countless number of flowers had been added to the flames that devoured her body and darkened the smoke that emanated. Hinata sniffed as she watched the procession from the safety of her sitting room that overlooked the courtyard. It was supposedly 'dangerous' for her to be near so much smoke if she were carrying a child. She _wasn't_ but that didn't stop the attendants from keeping a close eye on her. They'd likely continue watching her until it was clear in a few months that she wasn't pregnant. Hinata tore her eyes away from the scene of mourning and opened another journal. She'd poured over parchment and inkwell into the night until her eyes itched for sleep.

However, the words kept her from sleeping…the secrets they told. The love she had… it was so much that she wasn't sure when she'd fallen asleep but by the time she'd regained consciousness, Ino and Sakura were rousing her for breakfast. Speaking of those two, Hinata looked up from the journal in her lap to her two napping companions. A small smile of pity played at her lips as she watched them sleep. All three of them had stayed up with her as she read Mikoto's journals. Temari did not approve of her reading so much of a dead woman's writings but she swallowed her dissent and kept the candles from burning too low.

Sakura and Ino poured over their own romance stories, giggling well into the night as they scrolls of passionate affairs and tragic love. In the back of her mind, Hinata found it odd that two girls sold to the Uchiha clan knew how to read but she kept her mouth shut. She'd already promised not to question their pasts. No matter how unusual her attendants were she respected their right to privacy.

Besides, everyone had their secrets…especially Mikoto. She had so many that it didn't sit right with her. In her journal entries, it was more than she'd ever say but there was something else. It was just beneath the surface. If she just kept reading maybe she could figure it out. A woman with so many plans, so many hopes and dreams for the future. Why would she kill herself?

Hinata sighed and adjusted the quilt on her lap, tucking her feet underneath her as she did so. She hadn't bothered to get properly dressed that morning since she wasn't allowed out of her rooms during the ceremony. The thin white yukata she wore slipped slightly to expose her left shoulder but she didn't pull up the material. Instead, she yawned and tucked some of her hair behind her ear.

"Wait you can't go in there-"

Hinata straightened on the couch, now alert and alarmed by the tussle just outside her door. The shoji slid open violently in its track and a stoic Sasuke stepped over the threshold. His face was unreadable as he approached her on the couch but the dark aura that emanated from him was almost palpable. What did he want now? Had her not being around to take his frustrations out on made him even angrier? Hinata swallowed nervously as he drew closer and sat a little straighter, praying all the while that her fear did not show on her face. Temari came rushing into the room after him and the commotion made Sakura and Ino awaken groggily from their sleep.

"Uchiha-san, Hina- Uchiha-sama is not properly dressed for an audience with anyone right now. Family or not."

Sasuke stared at her, his gaze pinning her to the couch and freezing her in place.

"I've seen less." He said flatly without turning around. "Leave."

"But-"

"Temari-san," Hinata said, doing her best to keep her voice from betraying her nerves. "Please leave."

She implored all three of her attendants to leave with her eyes and they looked as though they all would rather put up a fight. However anxious they were about Sasuke's impropriety they couldn't go against her order. Reluctantly they filed out of the room and shut the door behind them. Once the shojo was closed, Sasuke tossed the book he'd been holding onto her lap. Hinata's eyes widened at recognition from it being the one she'd had while under the tree… she must have dropped it in her rush to get away from him.

"Why do you have this?" he asked through clenched teeth.

"I'm-"

"No apologies, no excuses. _Why do you have this?_ " he hissed and took a step closer. "What right do you have to go through my mother's things? Who the hell do you think you are?"

He didn't give her a chance to explain herself the way he demanded. Instead, his attention snapped to the box of journals at her side and flipped open the first one. His eyes darted back and forth as he read his mother's words but never really absorbed them.

"Uchiha-san." She said, reaching out to grab his wrist but he jerked away at her touch.

He then threw the journal he was holding back into the box and picked it all up. A strange panic settled into her bones and she immediately jumped to her feet when he turned away with the box.

"Uchiha-san, where are you going with those?"

"These should have been burned with the rest of her belongings."

"What? Wait-"

She grabbed the back of his black yukata in a futile attempt to keep him from leaving the room. She gripped the dark material as tightly as she could but it was clear that she wasn't going to be able to stop him. As she tried to keep him from leaving, he spun on his heel, his glare sharply cutting through her with nothing but hatred and contempt.

"You have no idea _who_ we are. You have no right to anything my mother has written."

He snatched his sleeve out of her hand and began to walk away but she threw her arms around his waist before he could get far.

"She said that she loved me. She said that she would be my mother too." She whispered, burying her nose into his spine as her throat started to burn. "You're correct…I don't have a right to go through her things but please don't burn these. Please."

Sasuke tensed within her embrace but she only held him tighter, her fingers clutching his yukata desperately. She knew that she was being unreasonable. She had no right to Mikoto's secret. Yet, she couldn't allow him to burn them. She just couldn't. Because in the back of her mind nothing had sat right within her since they found her body hanging in this very room. Because her everytime she turned around there was a reminder of the Uchiha matriarch as if she would appear just around the corner with a smile on her face. Because…

"Because there is so much left…" she whispered, her nose buried in the angry Uchiha's back.

"I…I don't think she meant to die so, please. Please let me keep them Uchiha-san…please…Sasuke."


	15. Chapter 15

**CCNote** **: Between testing and traveling, finding time to write is getting difficult. I'm also prepping for a trip to Europe so if I do have free time its spent learning basic phrases and budget planning (because $5 and 'Bonjour' will only get me so far lol) If you don't wanna wait for a new chapter go check out some of my completed work. DESERTED is rough but fun and A is for Uchiha is if you wanna cry. I'm also very picky about fics so go check out my 'favs'. I highly recommend everything there. There's something for everyone on my profile.**

 **ANYWAY please enjoy and don't forget to leave a REVIEW!**

 _ ******For a look at Hinata's kimono in the last scene the link is in my profile*******_

 **At First Sight**

 _The mourning dove coos_

 _ **(Sands)**_

 _ **The Twentieth Summer of the Hato**_

 _ **Uchiha District- Shiro**_

 **… _._**

"Let go of me."

Hinata winced at his loud volume but did not let go of him. She couldn't. If she released him might take the journals with him.

"I said let go of me!"

"Please, when my own mother died I didn't know what to do. I wish I had her journals to read. To know her thoughts and her life. Please. Don't take Mikoto…please-"

It was hard to continue speaking with the lump in her throat, so she didn't. She continued to hold him as if he were the only thing keeping her upright. As if he was the last vestige of the woman who had left this world before her time because…in a way…he _was._

"Your mother…is dead." Sasuke said, his voice measured and tight.

Hinata nodded into his back and her eyes began to burn with new tears that fell down her cheeks. It was shameful to cry, especially in front of someone that didn't care. He would surely snap at her when he felt the moisture through his yukata but she couldn't stop the tears once they'd started. She couldn't let him go either.

"Fine." Sasuke mumbled and dropped the box onto the floor unceremoniously.

The journals tumbled out onto the floor but neither one of them stooped to collect them. It was rude and petulant but Hinata couldn't help but feel grateful.

"Thank you." She whispered and held him tighter.

"Let go of me."

Hinata blushed at his repeated but now softer command and noted just how tightly she was holding him. She should let him go. She should step away. Yet…the last person to hold her close was Mikoto. She didn't have Hanabi to lean on for comfort, no one from her former clan was answering her letters anyway. At the reminder of the letters left unanswered, the lump in her throat grew larger and she let out a muffled sob.

Why wasn't anyone writing back to her? Hanabi would never _fail to_ write to her. Neji wouldn't ignore her. With her family inaccessible and her new husband far away and possibly in danger, her heart ached with realization. She was alone and all she could do was make mistakes.

"Are…are you crying again?" Sasuke hissed. He turned around in her arms and placed his hands on her shoulders to push her away slightly. Hinata kept her head down, too embarrassed to look at him.

"I- I'm so sorry-"

"Stop apologizing. It's more annoying than you crying." He growled before pulling her into his chest.

"Sasuke!" she gasped in surprise.

"If you're going to cry do it quickly."

His request was rough and awkward, but she nodded into his chest. Slowly she returned his embrace and allowed all of the emotions she'd been experiencing wash over her in silent waves. She cried for the family that no longer wished to speak to her. The husband who she'd failed and was likely putting himself in danger. For Mikoto whose body was no longer recognizable from the flames. Finally, she cried for herself and the tears continued to flow. The door to her room slid open and despite the embarrassment, she didn't move away from Sasuke although he tensed at the intrusion.

"What happened in here…" Ino mumbled, likely perplexed at the mess of books on the floor and the emotional state of her mistress. " Hinata, the elders wish to have an audience with you. Should I tell them no?"

Hinata sniffed and shook her head even though she knew Ino couldn't see her past Sasuke's broad frame.

"It's fine. _I'm_ fine." She said, her cracking voice projected otherwise.

She had to be fine even when she wasn't. Sasuke's arms dropped from her body and the loss of warmth was immediate. She wanted to protest the departure but she was no longer a child. She shouldn't need to be held. She watched as Sasuke left the room, carefully stepping around his mother's possessions and brushing past Ino without acknowledgment. Although it was an unseasonably warm spring, the room's temperature dropped with his departure.

"Are you alright Hinata?" Ino asked as she walked into the room.

There was more concern in those blue eyes than Hinata had expected, for a moment it appeared as though she would even reach out to her but she didn't. Instead, she knelt down and began picking up the journals that were scattered all over the floor and returned them to their box.

"We heard the noise and the yelling. Are you sure you're okay?"

Hinata nodded and wiped her cold cheeks with her sleeves. She didn't need a mirror to know that she probably looked a mess and the sounds of an argument didn't help her case.

"You know Temari was close to coming in here and stopping him. I don't think she likes him too much and I…well…he's not that cute anymore after this. No man is cute enough to yell at a woman, especially not one as pretty as you. You could always send him away to the palace. I'm sure we can think of some errand he needs to do far far away from the District."

The Uchiha matriarch snorted and shook her head. She knew that Ino was only saying that to try to make her feel better. Besides, Itachi would surely wonder why she banished his brother to the imperial palace.

"Thank you Ino." She whispered but the blonde waved off her gratitude.

"It's nothing. Now," she huffed as she left her task of picking up books to face her. "Let's get you cleaned up. Temari, I'm gonna need your help! Is Sakura back with that tea yet?"

 **….**

' _Is this what it means to be the matriarch?'_ Hinata thought as she sat at the head of the roundtable.

On all sides she was surrounded by men, all of whom could give the Hyuuga elders a run for their money when it came to age and general grimness. There were nine of them, straight-backed and stoic in their black mourning yukatas. She'd only seen the men in passing during her time in the Shiro. Mikoto had always taken her meetings with them alone but now, Hinata wished that she had sat in on some of them. Maybe if she had she wouldn't feel so intimidated. If she had she would have something to say instead of her tongue becoming paralyzed at the mere thought. She swallowed and took a deep breath through her nose.

She could do this.

She _had_ to do this.

"Uchiha-sama." The oldest looking man said with a curt bow of his head. His voice was gravelly from years of use and the wrinkles on his face told a story of a life she could never imagine. Hinata bowed her head low in return, mentally admonishing herself for doing so.

' _You will never prostrate before another again.'_ The voice of her mother-in-law whispered in her ear and Hinata almost jumped at the sound.

She sounded so close.

So alive.

Was she hallucinating from a lack of sleep and food? The voice in her head chuckled as she imagined Mikoto would, sending goosebumps down her spine. She most definitely was going crazy.

' _If you are crazy these men are senile. Chin up, begin.'_

Definitely crazy but at least the voice in her head was helpful. Clutching the sleeves of her mourning yukata, Hinata looked around the table at the men and took a deep breath.

"You do me a great honor with your presence on a day such as this. I am in your care."

…. _One week later….._

 _ **I feel as though at any moment the earth will open and swallow me whole. I cling to the edge with my fingernails but every breath I take weakens my grip. If I hold my breath will I cling to life longer?**_

"Hinata, you should get to bed now." Temari said gently, poking her head from the Uchiha's bedroom door. "Sakura's got your bed clothes ready and your bed turned down."

"Just a bit longer Temari…" Hinata replied distractedly.

She didn't look up from the journal she was reading either, her eyes trailing repeatedly over the ink. This current journal had been buried deep in the box. Its leather binding was abused and singed around the edges as if Mikoto had tried to burn her writing but snatched it out of the fire. There were pages missing and writing's crossed out. Why? She'd kept such meticulous records and all of the other journals were in pristine condition yet this one..this one was not meant to exist.

"Hinata. You have a long day tomorrow." Temari called again, this time in a sterner tone. Hinata looked up at her attendant and rubbed her eye with the heel of her hand.

"I _am_ getting a little tired." She conceded.

The last few days had been trying on her body and mind but she couldn't get any rest. Every time she closed her eyes, Mikoto's words invaded her dreams. Even when the dreams were sweet tales of romance it still felt like a nightmare because it upset everything the District accepted to be true. Uchiha Mikoto had committed suicide. And yet…

 _ **I cling to the edge with my fingernails but every breath I take weakens my grip. If I hold my breath will I cling to life longer?**_

Every line she wrote was immediately contradicted by the next. Did she want to live or didn't she? Hinata shook her head and rose slowly to her feet. She needed to clear her thoughts before the journals consumed her entirely.

"I'm going to take a bath." She said and upon seeing her rise, Temari's stern expression shifted to a soft smile.

"Good. I'll have tea prepared when you get back. I'll get Sakura to accompany you-"

"No-" Hinata interrupted and Temari's smile waned with concern. "I…I just want to be alone right now. I promise to be quick so I can go right to sleep."

She added the last bit to assuage Temari's worries. No one wanted to leave her alone after the suicide for fear that such a thing was contagious. They were already going to have to tell Fugaku about his wife's passing whenever Itachi got him back…if he got him back. They couldn't afford to lose her too. It didn't help that Temari was staunchly against her reading Mikoto's journals. The blonde pressed her lips together in a tight line, weighing the pros and cons of allowing her mistress to go off alone before finally relenting.

"Sakura will bring by your bed clothes then. I'll tell her to walk slowly."

Hinata smiled as Temari turned back into her bedroom and closed the door behind her. She spared but a glance at the work she should be doing instead of pouring over her mother-in-law's journals and her smile quickly slipped away. So many facts and figures and words she didn't understand. It all gave her a headache but she had to do it. Right now, however, her muscles ached and Temari was correct, she absolutely needed to get a full night of sleep for once. A bath would be just the thing to help that.

Abandoning her work with a respectable modicum of guilt, she left the room and made her way through the main house to the hot springs. It had been so long since she'd had a good soak in its warm waters. The water was rumored to be medicinal but didn't really know what. Once again she kicked herself for not paying closer attention during her training with Mikoto. She should know everything thing there was to know about the District and yet her knowledge was sorely lacking.

Hinata frowned as she opened the door to the private bath and tried to push her burdensome insecurities to the back of her mind. If she dwelled on them too long she would never be able to relax enough to allow whatever medicinal properties the spring had to work on her body. The bath was quiet as she entered which was a relief that she wasn't interrupting the attendants while they cleaned. She then quickly shed her simple mourning yukata, untying the black obi with little difficulty and allowing the cotton material of her garb to fall open.

She slid the yukata off her shoulders and then went to work loosening the ties of her white undergarments. It would have been a miserable experience to disrobe in winter due to the cold but the warmth of spring allowed her to undress at a more leisurely pace. She folded up her clothes as neatly as she could and set them in a covered basket by the door that would surely be removed by Sakura when she arrived. Now clad in only her mother's opal necklace, Hinata crossed the room to open the door that led to the hot spring. It was dark outside with nothing but the stars and moon to light her way to the black water encircled with rocks but that was just the way she liked it.

Slowly she descended into the water and walked until she reached a large rock jutting out in the middle of the spring. She turned and leaned back against the rock. It was cold compared to the water and a shiver went down her spine.

 _ **I cling to the edge with my fingernails but every breath I take weakens my grip. If I hold my breath will I cling to life longer?**_

" _Mikoto-san."_ Hinata thought, her heart aching at the memory of the words she'd read.

All of her journals were confusing. She had so many plans…so many dreams…and yet…

Hinata shook her head and rolled her shoulders but the tension held within her did not dissipate. She needed to relax. Groaning, she sank further into the hot water of the spring until the water came over her shoulders.

"It…is my fault." A pained voice whispered from the other side of the rock and Hinata immediately jumped in surprise, the spring water splashing loudly.

"I can't get a moment of peace can I?"

The matriarch squeaked again at recognition of the voice and immediately began to cover her chest with her arms. There was no mistaking that the voice belonged to Sasuke who'd barely left his rooms within the main house since their argument. Her attendants told her how the other servants gossiped about his state. His rooms were barred from anyone entering them to clean and any food sent to him was barely touched.

She wanted to intervene, to say something, but what right did she have? What right…especially after the way she'd begged him to leave his mother's journals in her possession. Journals that she couldn't understand.

"Uchiha-san. I'm sorry. I didn't realize anyone was in here." She squeaked.

The Uchiha snorted from the other side of the rock.

"Uchiha-"

"Don't." he said curtly. "Don't call me an Uchiha."

The statement hung heavy in the air and her throat felt a familiar swelling from his harshness. Shoving down her own hurt, she tried not to take his insult and tone personally. As the matriarch of the Uchiha, she had to be the bigger person.

"Ok then…Sasuke. I will leave-"

"No, I've been in here long enough."

The water rippled with his movement and her heart dropped into the pit of her stomach. He was leaving to cloister himself away in his rooms for who knew how long. If Itachi returned and found him in such a state of depression it would surely make him upset. Swallowing her fear and embarrassment, Hinata opened her eyes and reached for Sasuke's wrist. His skin was slick and wet and warmer than it should have been. How long had he been sulking in the spring alone?

"Sasuke." She blurted out, his name still foreign on her tongue.

He didn't turn around to look at her, for that she was grateful. Still he hadn't set eyes on anyone in over a week. He was alone. Always alone.

' _It's my fault.'_

"It's not." She blurted out as her fingers curled tightly around his wrist. His pulse quickened under her fingertips. "It's not your fault."

"You shouldn't eavesdrop on others." He replied but his tone was soft and didn't cut as harshly as before. A tiny smile played on her lips.

"You're not one to talk against eavesdropping."

Their time crouched in the Shiro's bushes as they tried to glean information from Itachi and his father seemed like such a long time ago. At that time everyone was together in an odd way. From her short tenure within the District, she knew that to be a rare occurrence. It was one that would never happen again…not with Mikoto gone. As confusing as her journals were she knew one thing for sure, whether her death was on purpose or accidental, none of it was Sasuke's fault. She loved Sasuke more than anyone.

He had to know that…he had to.

"She loved you the most."

Sasuke stiffened at her words. His pale back grew tense and seemed to almost glow in the moonlight. He might not want to hear this right now but he had to know. He had to…

"In the journals…she writes about you often. Mikoto-san loved you so very much. Itachi too of course but she favored you I think. They both did actually. Shisui…he once told me that Itachi loved his little brother very much. With the way Itachi talks about you, I know Shisui's words to be true."

She wasn't sure if her confession was getting through to him but at least he wasn't angry. At least he wasn't running away. Feeling a bit braver, she released his wrist and slipped her fingers down to intertwine with his under the water. His hands were softer than Itachi's. Scars and callouses didn't mar his skin and another person's blood would never be found beneath his nails. His hands would never be responsible for the death of another. That was the way Itachi had wanted him to be.

"When Itachi returns with Uchiha-sama they will need your support. So please…do-don't close yourself off. Mikoto-san would be sad to see you this way."

"Why do you care?' he asked, his voice strained.

She squeezed his hand, unable to utter her own feelings. Sasuke was mean and rude and temperamental. She shouldn't care about him in the slightest but she did because at times…at times he was the man that slipped crackers to her from a stash in his kimono. He was a constant in her life and now that she was alone as well she didn't want to see him hurting.

"Hinata!" Sakura called. "Hinata are you out there?"

Hinata immediately released Sasuke's hand, panic causing her throat to close as the reality of their situation set in. She was naked in a hot spring with a man that wasn't her husband. To make matters even worse the man she was with was his _brother._ Nothing had happened between them but the sight didn't look innocent and while she liked Sakura the girl had very loose lips. As the shoji door rattled open on its track, Hinata did the only thing she could. She squeezed her eyes closed, held her breath, and dunked herself into the water.

It was just in time too because a small scream warped by the water reached her ears.

"Oh! Uchiha-san! I- I didn't think –" Sakura stammered. Even from underwater Hinata could clearly picture her attendant's flustered face. Sasuke _was_ attractive even if his attitude was rotten.

"Hinata is not here."

"Oh um, of course, she would be! I'll just go."

' _Yes! Please go!'_

She didn't like being rude even in her mind, but her lungs were starting to tingle from the lack of air.

"Wait." Sasuke said and Hinata inwardly groaned. "Leave her clothing in one of the baskets. She may come after you have left."

"Ah! You're right. I'll do that. And Uchiha-san…"

' _Sakura please!'_

"What happened to your parents. I'm sorry." She said and the irritation Hinata felt melted away from the pinkette's sincerity. "I miss my own parents every day so I…I know how you might be feeling. If you ever need someone to talk to-"

"And you are?"

"Oh! Sakura sir-"

Her lungs now burned from holding her breath for too long. The urge to save herself from potentially drowning was growing stronger with each passing second.

"Sakura then, I would like to continue bathing in peace."

"Of course! I'm sorry!"

The pinkette scurried back into the main house, unintentionally slamming the shoji door closed behind her. At the loud crack, Hinata emerged from her hiding place gasping and sputtering. Her long hair clung desperately to her face and blinded her worse than being underwater. As she tried to reorient herself, she pulled her hair off of her face as best as she could.

"You are the strangest woman I have ever met." Sasuke scoffed, reminding her once more of her state of undress.

"Sasuke!"

Her eyes widened as his were finally set upon her for the first time that night. Her entire body felt as if it were on fire under his dark gaze. As quickly as she could, she covered her breasts with her arms and sank into the black water until it lapped at her chin. She glared at the man in front of her who seemed to be finding amusement at her expense. His normally frowning lips twitched until a smile spread over his face. Then he did the last thing she expected. The one thing she thought him incapable of doing.

He laughed.

 **….**

From the day Mikoto's ashes had been scattered, three moon phases passed without incident. Spring cherry blossoms fell from their perches and were replaced by vibrant green leaves. The soft warmth of spring had all but vanished and in its place was the oppressive heat of summer. As the leaves emerged, part of her hoped that her sister would walk through the District's gates.

She longed to see Hanabi at sixteen, taller and prettier than she had been the day they parted. Itachi had promised that he would send her before Spring ended but each day that prospect looked more and more unlikely. Hanabi didn't write to her anymore. No one did. Not Neji, not her father, not even Ko when she sent her last scroll two weeks ago in a last ditch effort to make contact. Maybe they were just busy. Her marriage into the Uchiha clan was advantageous for them so they would not cut off contact with her trivially.

She took solace in the hope that a letter from them would arrive and instead threw herself into life among the Uchiha. An eerie calm settled over the District and its inhabitants but Hinata welcomed the feeling. She'd rather predictability over chaos any day. The only real issue she had with the monotony was that the flood of letters that usually arrived at the Shiro's gate every afternoon had slowed to a trickle. There was the odd message of condolence from allied clans for the loss of Mikoto, wishes to hold an audience with her as the new matriarch, and no news of Fugaku's disappearance. Everyone cared more about flattery.

Hinata sighed, resting her chin on her hand as she looked at one such message. The parchment was thick, a clear sign of the sender's wealth without the glossy black seal that credited it to the shogunate.

 _Danzo._

His name meant nothing to her but his scroll felt heavy in her possession. The Uchiha were the speartip of the emperor's so she shouldn't feel nervous about a message from someone so important. She needed to open his letter of condolence right? Carefully she picked up the small, ornamental dagger she'd used to open all of the other letters and sliced open the black wax. The parchment unfurled in her hand and she spread out the message on the table.

 _ **I'm coming to obtain what was promised.**_

The message was short and strange. What had been promised to him? As far as she knew the loyalty of the Uchiha ran deeper than blood and all debts had been paid generations ago. Hinata frowned and grabbed the letter's twin from her desk. This one was older but written by the same hand when unsealed.

 _ **This game of cat and mouse must come to an end.**_

What game? What did the shogunate want? Frantically, Hinata began rifling through the back pile of letters and found that most of the massive pile was from only one sender. One man.

 _ **You have not responded to my letters. Do you wish me to inquire after you personally…..**_

 _ **How you vex me….**_

 _ **If I send you pieces of your heart will you reply?**_

Hinata dropped the letter she was holding and pushed away from the table. These were not messages sent purely to see after one's allies. These words were more synonymous with that of a jilted lover. Did Mikoto…no…she would never. Sure she and their captured patriarch seemed distant towards one another but she'd only seen them together for a night. It had been a night cut short at that by a letter from Danzo. Guilt tugged at her heartstrings as she stared wide-eyed at the unfurled messages on her table.

After a message from Danzo, Fugaku had left. In his wake, Itachi departed. No…. Hinata shook her head of her suspicions. She did not know the shogunate personally but she knew Mikoto. She would never dishonor her vows or wish harm onto her husband. The new matriarch grabbed the scrolls, those unfurled and those still left to be opened, and rose from her cushion. She had to get rid of these. She had to-

"Uchiha-sama." A voice called from the sitting room door. "You have a visitor. They say that you sent for them?"

For a moment with her arms filled with scrolls, Hinata feared that the austere shogunate would walk through the door. However, the shoji slid open to reveal anything but the man she feared. Instead stood a pale, lanky man with an odd smile on his face. Not odd…disconcerting. He bowed stiffly, inky black hair falling over his face as he did so. He rose from his greeting much too quickly and stared at her unabashedly for a man that wasn't family.

"They said that the Uchiha matriarch was very beautiful but you are much younger than I expected." The strange man said.

Hinata blinked and took a half step back. He seemed to sense her apprehension and held up his hands as if to show that he didn't mean any harm.

"Have you forgotten that you sent for me?" he asked and slowly moved to pull a scroll from the sleeve of his black yukata. "I may be too late to draw the wedding but I can do an even better portrait of your heir and his new wife-"

"Wait, what are your talking about?"

"Forgive me for being forward Uchiha-sama but you are the one that commissioned me." He said as he held the scroll out to her.

Hinata gently placed all the scrolls she'd been holding so that she could accept it. The well-worn parchment felt familiar as soon as she touched it. It felt just as expensive and thick as all of the journals. The writing inside further confirmed that he'd been sent by the Uchiha matriarch…just not her. A lump caught in her throat as she took in the elegant brushstrokes produced by Mikoto's hand.

"This…" she whispered, unable to tear her eyes away from the scroll. "I didn't write this. Mikoto-san, the one who commissioned you, she…she died many weeks ago."

"Oh." The stranger said awkwardly as his weight shifted from one foot to the other. "At times like this, it is appropriate to give words of condolence. My condolence."

Hinata looked up in surprise, all sadness pushed down in the face of such an awkward man. He appeared unphased by his own awkwardness and took back his commission scroll.

"Well, Mikoto-san was it? She already paid me half up front for a portrait. Where is your husband? The light in an hour will be perfect to begin."

Hinata slowly shook her head and the stranger frowned.

"Don't tell me he's dead too?"

"No! Of co-course not!" Hinata stammered in shock. "He's just not here right now."

"So do you want a portrait or not? I'm afraid I can't return the deposit."

Hinata bit her bottom lip and warily eyed the man. If he'd already been paid it would be a waste not to use the services their money should render. If Mikoto sent for him…it would be best to honor her wishes right? Although she was anxious in his presence, Hinata would not deny her mother in law her last wishes even if they couldn't be fulfilled in an orthodox manner.

"I would like to have my portrait made." She started but the stranger cocked his head slightly to the side.

"The commission is for two people."

"Um…well…" Hinata bit her lower lip.

The only other person available from the main family would be Sasuke. Sasuke! He was still reclusive but at least now he was eating regularly. Even if he took all of his meals alone that was progress. Maybe getting his portrait done would help chip away a bit at the wall he'd built around himself. She didn't need to tell him that it was supposed to be Itachi in his place. No…she'd keep that to herself. Smiling, Hinata gave the strange artist a polite nod.

"I will have another family member for you to paint."

"Good because I was not going to give you a discount."

Hinata tried to keep smiling but her eye twitched. This man was going to be difficult to deal with.

 **….**

Sai, a talented artist with no last name, was _indeed_ difficult to deal with. At least he was towards her staff. He sent most of the servants out in search of obscure items that she didn't believe had anything to do with painting.

The smoothest white pebble from the bottom of a river bed.

A bouquet of freshly cut flowers whose contents had been changed three times.

A bowl of fruit.

When he asked for a glass of water that seemed like a practical request but he only drank a sip before throwing the contents over his shoulder. Hinata would have thought him to be utterly insane if she hadn't gotten a glance at his portfolio before they began. His work was absolutely stunning. It was as if the portraits were ready to jump off the page at any moment and drew the viewer in with their beauty. She'd never seen anything like it. It was no small wonder that Mikoto had chosen to commission him for her wedding portrait instead of using artists from the District.

"I wonder how long this will take." Hinata mumbled, her eyes trained on the doves in the cage as Sai had directed her. Her neck was beginning to ache under the weight of her hair and it's ornaments.

"As long as necessary. You can't rush perfection." Ino sighed wistfully.

Hinata rolled her eyes at her attendant who was steadily feeding seeds to the doves to keep them calm enough for the session. Without Itachi around, his gift to her was the next best thing to have in the portrait. Ino was more than happy to shirk off her usual chores to help with the birds and even happier when she met Sai. The blonde could hardly keep her eyes off the strange man. The look in her blue orbs was one she'd never come across. Was it admiration? Curiosity? She couldn't tell and the multiple layers of silk that she was wearing was not conducive to thinking further on the matter.

"He's amazing." Ino said breathlessly and Hinata raised an eyebrow.

How could Ino possibly know how good this man was? She wasn't around to see his portfolio… As if sensing her question, Ino smiled and poured more seeds into her hand for the doves.

"Do you need to take a break Hinata? You're looking a little hot."

"I'm fine, thank you…" the raven replied as her attention was caught by a commotion across the courtyard.

Dressed simply in a black kimono with his katana at his side, Uchiha Sasuke slowly entered the courtyard. The trail of attendants fussing in his wake was left ignored by the Uchiha. The attendants were not deterred however, they continued to scurry after him with a more elaborate furisode in tow and the tools necessary to bring his unruly hair into a more presentable top knot. He looked…better… than the last time, she saw him. Not so pale, not so gaunt. He still looked sad though even if the only way to tell was through his eyes. When he reached her side, Hinata smiled up at him.

"Thank you for coming, Sasuke." She said and he merely grunted. "Sai will paint your portrait next-"

"Who are all these extra people?" the strange artist asked, his icy stare taking in all of the fretting attendants. "I can not work with all of this extra commotion."

The attendants glared back at him, indignant that an outsider would see them as a hindrance. Yes, Sai was proving to be very difficult to deal with. Sasuke silently dismissed his cohort with a flick of his wrist. Their expressions were sour as they left but they did as commanded and soon the courtyard was quiet once more save for the cooing of contented doves. However, Sai did not resume his work. Instead, he slumped in his stool and sighed.

"Where can one relieve themselves?"

"I can show you!" Ino offered a bit too enthusiastically before remembering just who she was. "I mean... if that's alright with you Hinata?"

Hinata nodded, further confused that Ino was willing to spend time with the strange man. Ino was barely able to suppress her grin as she dropped the rest of the seeds into the bottom of the bird cage and dusted the remainder off on her yukata.

"Right this way sir!"

Sai stood up from his stool slowly and willingly followed a bubbly Ino towards the other side of the courtyard. They were an odd pair, one bright and happy and the other dark and difficult. The sight was such a contrast. When their backs were no longer visible, Hinata rose and stretched as best as she could under all of her layers and let out a groan of relief.

"I've been sitting for far too long." She sighed and glanced at Sasuke from the corner of her eye. "Um…what have you been up to today."

"Nothing."

"Not even training."

"No."

Hinata opened her mouth to speak but the Uchiha did not appear to be in a talking mood. Instead, she watched as he moved from her side to where Sai had been painting. His dark brows scrunched together as he regarded the portrait, his mouth pressing into a tense line.

"This is not you." He said finally.

Hinata blinked. Well, of course, it wouldn't look exactly like her. That was to be expected. As if to illustrate his point further, Sasuke removed the incomplete work from its easel and brought it to her to look. There on the parchment was a woman with a beauty that could rival all others except this woman wasn't her. She stood gracefully next to the dove cage, an incomplete hand roughly sketched to reach out to the birds. Long, uncolored hair was tied in a braid down her back and her simple navy yukata only possessed the Uchiha crest as adornment. If the picture had been colored in there was no doubt in her mind that her hair would be blonde and her eyes blue.

Although unfinished it was beautiful.

' _ **Do you believe in love at first sight?'**_

Mikoto's writing rang through her ears as she gently traced the lines of Ino's simple figure and smiled.

"Sasuke." She whispered, her voice soft and reverent as she remembered her dream from so many weeks ago.

Of Mikoto and Fugaku's first meeting under this very tree. How she wrote of her heart hammering in her chest when their eyes met.

"Do you believe in love at first sight?"

The Uchiha grunted and folded his hands into the sleeves of his kimono.

"I think you should get your money back."

It was crass and unfeeling but hearing his usual quips made her smile. It was faint but the real Uchiha Sasuke remained somewhere beneath all his mourning. It was ludicrous to want him to be the bratty boy she'd gotten to know but anything was better than the sad man that stood at her side. Itachi would want him to be happy.

So would Mikoto.

Her smile widened as she recalled him sitting between his mother's legs. She fought with the tangles in his messy hair much to his chagrin and impatience. His teeth clenched as she unmercifully worked out the knots and popped him with a comb. The memory caused a giggle to bubble up from her throat and for the first time since they found her body…since the day her ashes were scattered…

She laughed.

 _ **To be continued….**_

 _My eyes waste away with grief_

 _Deep down inside I feel to scream_

 _This terrible silence stops me._

 _ **(Pwaveno)**_


	16. Chapter 16

**CCNote:** **Hey ya'll!** **さしぶり** **です** **ね** **? (Long time no see!) If you caught my vacation snaps in Europe I hope you enjoyed them. The places I visited rank as follows: #1 London (best people and sights) #2Milan (best food and street art) #3 Paris (terrible people, amazing city). As a bonus is the Beijing airport which I spent an unfortunate 24hours in! (Don't ever fly AirChina if you love yourself. Also, worst airport bathrooms and I'm pretty sure I got sick on the flight home from all the uncovered coughing).**

 **I'm back now so no I didn't die or abandon this story. I LOVE the concern though. It's nice to know someone cares. I would have posted last week but the cold I picked up in Beijing kept me from doing anything creative. However, I checked the stats on this story and we are at a whopping 255 followers! That's amazing. I hope everyone that was following hasn't given up on this story due to my absence. I should have posted a CCNote before my trip to keep people from worrying but I forgot. (Although one of my favorite fics took 10yrs to be completed so I don't feel too terrible lmao) ANYWAY, this chapter is rough because it was not apart of the original outline. However, I couldn't move forward with the rest of the story until I squeezed it out. I'm satisfied now lol but please forgive any glaring mistakes, they will be fixed….eventually.**

 **So without further ado, please enjoy this new chapter. Don't forget to leave a REVIEW! Reviews really motivate me!**

 **Purple Irises**

 _My eyes waste away with gried_

 _Deep down inside I feel to scream_

 _This terrible silence stops me…_

 _ **(Pwaveno)**_

 _ **The Twenty-first Summer of the Taka**_

 _ **Uchiha Shiro- Main House Gardens**_

 **…...**

Cicadas screeched from the treetops as the afternoon soon slowly descended from it's highest perch. Despite the near constant supply of cold tea and water, the shade the large oak provided, and the constant fanning from Ino, the heat still managed to render all occupants lightheaded. Hinata sat poised on a bench in front of him with his hand nearly glued to her shoulder. Her normally pale face was flushed red and sweat dripped down her forehead beneath the many folds of her kimono. She refused to take a break, however.

After nearly two weeks of posing they were almost done. For his part, Sasuke could not wait to shed his cumbersome attire and escape to the privacy of the forest. There he would sink into the cool river and try to forget the rest of the world. The mere thought of the clear rushing water made his hair stand on end, his anxiety mounting with each stroke of the fickle artist's brush.

It was so close to being completed that many of their servants came to watch the eccentric man work. They were quiet of course, merely breathing wrong could stop his progress when he was in the zone like this. The looks on their faces though told him that they were more than satisfied with his work. The pride in their eyes, the whispers of lament that their former matriarch was not able to see such a wondrous piece come to fruition. It would look even better when Itachi returned to take his rightful place on Hinata's left side where her caged doves stood…

The place where he now occupied but had no right…

Inwardly Sasuke frowned and tried to push out the trespassing thoughts. If he just didn't think about it…if he didn't give breath to the words he'd read then he could pretend it didn't exist. He could pretend that the life he lived was one that he deserved. Yet…as incessant as a cicada's call…the truth still buzzed around in the back of his head. The ink. Her words. His desire.

It rang in his head louder and louder as soon as all other immediate matters were handled. Matters he had no right to touch…

 _How much sake was enough to put him to sleep?_

 _How much would it take for him to never wake up again?_

… _Sasuke watched as the girl scrambled away from him as fast as she could. Those large pale eyes did nothing to hide her fear of him although her mouth spoke otherwise. Sasuke scoffed. He was just as agitated as she was afraid. If it hadn't been for the noise the servants made searching for her he would have remained in his room. As she retreated into the main building he couldn't help the burn of rage with the knowledge of just where she was headed. His mother's rooms…although they were hers no longer._

 _He turned his head towards the west wing of the Shiro where the Atami shrine resided just beyond the main walls. A willowy column of incense rose up as a blight against the sunset. It was a signal to the gods to open a path of safe passage for his mother, a journey her soul had already taken and now her earthly body must follow. In the morning everything that was Uchiha Mikoto would be engulfed by flames. His heart clenched at the prospect of what the next day would bring, the unwavering finality of it all._

 _Why?_

 _Why would she…she..._

 _The Uchiha's fists clenched as he watched the smoke rise higher and higher, his eyes burning just like it's source. She was gone and in her place was a weak wisp of a woman whose knees knocked if someone glanced her way. Hinata was not ready to be the Uchiha matriarch. Their only hope now was that Itachi returned soon to take up the mantle of leader, with or without their father, before the idiotic girl had a chance to run them all into the ground. He sighed and lowered his eyes from the smoke, ready to head back to his rooms, when he caught sight of a book on the ground._

" _Careless woman." Sasuke mumbled under his breath and stooped to pick up the abandoned text._

 _She has time to read and nap without a care in the world while the rest of the clan was in mourning. He shouldn't be surprised. She was an Uchiha in name only._

 _With an irritated grunt, he flipped through the pages, mildly curious as to what could have kept the girl's attention so distracted. However, as his eyes scanned the blurred characters a sense of familiarity piqued his interest. When he turned the book back to the beginning he was able to immediately place whose hand had crafted the elegant writing on each page. Whose words these belonged to._

" _Okaa-san." He whispered, her name heavy on his tongue._

 _What was Hinata doing with his mother's words- words that appeared to be more intimate than that girl had a right to witness? Frowning, he took in the first page._

 _ **As a summer drought begets a paltry harvest, I fear that I am not able to start this season with good news.**_

 _ **He has confirmed with Fugaku that he and his party will be arriving in the middle of the fall. Oh, how the fires he will bring with him will burn brighter than the leaves in his wake. He will wreak nothing but destruction in his path…my husband is nothing more than a tool at his disposal.**_

 _ **I can't even share my joy. Not yet...**_

 _There was no name to the foreboding man that his mother had described but there didn't need to be. He knew that is was Danzo. Anytime that man's name was mentioned a shadow would pass over her face. It was fleeting and he'd previously thought the look was due to her simple distaste for the man. As the shogunate, he was the neck that turned the head of the emperor. With unparalleled power he did not care to garner the affections of others, least of all the wives of the men that served him. His predecessors had all been ruthless but none more so than Danzo._

 _Behind him, the servant called out to remind him of dinner being served soon. He hadn't eaten much since he'd found his mother's body hanging from the ceiling. Just the thought of food turned his stomach. Without acknowledging the servant, Sasuke closed his mother's journal and slipped it into the inner breast pocket of his yukata. Right now he could handle neither her words nor the prospect of eating. Instead, he headed into the main building to his rooms. Once there, he sent out all of the attendants that had been tasked with his care since birth, snuffed out all the candles, and laid in the darkness until the sun rose the next morning._

 _It was in the wee hours before dawn when he could no longer ignore the weight of his mother's words. When he picked the book back up, he returned to the first page and absently admired her penmanship. The only other person to write as perfectly as she did was Itachi. Instead of near perfect characters that were all carefully aligned, he'd been blessed with their father's messy scrawl and curt descriptions. His mother, on the other hand, knew just how to paint a picture and every word danced poignantly before him._

 _Over and over again, Sasuke soaked in his mother's words desperate to understand her trepidation, her fear laid bare._

 _ **Fugaku was impatient last night. He must have paced a hole in the floor and would have kept going till dawn until I managed to persuade him to come to bed with me. Itachi has not said a word about his father's impatience or questioned the uproar of energy within our walls. I think that he suspects that something big will happen and senses my stress. He sits calmly with his tutors and does not beg to be amongst the commotion as many of the boys his age and older are doing. I worry that he is too disinterested. A boy of four should care more about the world around him, not just ink and paper. Despite his distance to everything he still clings to my side when his lessons are finished. It is when he is buried in my bosom and sleep overtakes him that the face of a child emerges. He is my only source of sweetness in a time that rapidly approaches….**_

… **...**

 _ **He is the vilest of creatures. His snide remarks. The way he leers over his teacup. Its as if he's taunting me. Fugaku has never been more distant than the day he crossed our threshold…**_

 _ **Fugaku is so excited about his plans…I wish that I can share in his joy but every word he utters tastes of poison…**_

 _ **Every year the sun goes around the earth and reminds me that I am one year older. Another wrinkle threatens to crease my face and it becomes harder to rise with the rooster's crow. This morning Fugaku rose before me but left his gift on the nightstand. I've yet to open it but I'm sure it will be as expensive as his tastes. That loathsome man visited as well with a gift of his own but as soon as he left my quarters I asked the servants to start a fire. They may find me odd since it is not yet cold enough to warrant one. I do not care….**_

… _ **...**_

 _ **Of all the gifts I've received today, Itachi's is by far my favorite. Purple Irises. They are a bit crushed from being hidden within the folds of his yukata but they are no less beautiful. Between these pages, his gift will remain pressed so that I may look upon them and feel the same swell of happiness in my heart. It makes getting older seem not so bad. Tonight should be especially fun. Fugaku promised a party…**_

… _ **...**_

 _ **Everything hurts…. It hurts so much and I don't understand why. I can't remember anything…**_

 _ **He's gone but the terrible spirit he brought still hangs heavy in the halls.**_

… _ **...**_

 _ **Fugaku has not visited my bed since the day**_ _he_ _ **arrived and has all but abanded me upon his departure…**_

… _ **...**_

 _ **I feel sick but I will push these feelings away. I just need to eat something. Besides, I can't stay in bed Itachi will learn how to ride a horse today. He is growing so fast…**_

… _ **.**_

 _Sasuke slammed the journal closed, a sharp tang of bile rising up in the back of his throat. That wasn't the journal's last entry but he couldn't go further. He could see nothing but the blinding rage that flashed in his mind as he stood up. Hinata had read this. She'd read these words and said nothing, told him nothing. She had no right to his mother's words. If she'd just burned these books as she was told his world wouldn't feel as if it were shattering beneath him…._

….That familiar tinge of sickness and rage washed over him. Combined with the sweltering summer sun, he knew that he appeared worse for wear. Unfortunately, his pride, what little of it he had left, would not allow him to show weakness in front of all these people.

"Uchiha-sama! Uchiha-sama!" an exasperated voice called out from behind the crowd of people that surrounded them. "Coming through! Uchiha-sama!"

A slender woman squeezed past the other attendants roughly, her short pink hair frazzled by her rushed journey. Sasuke rolled eyes at her demeanor. Hinata had done a terrible job at teaching her personal attendants how to behave. She might have thought it was kind to treat them as her equals but it only made them targets among the other staff. The evidence of that was proven when the girl was surreptitiously tripped just as she made it through the crowd.

Although she stumbled forward the sheer force of her determination to reach the matriarch kept her upright. Clutched tightly to her chest was a scroll that she only held out to Hinata's curious hands. Sasuke looked over her shoulder, a strange mix of curiosity and apprehension filled him. Itachi had not written a single letter since he'd left. There was no news of the Uchiha army, even rumors were scarce. He noted how tense Hinata's shoulders were, the feeling of hopeful anticipation flowing off of her in waves. However, it was only for a second before she turned the scroll over and saw the seal of the emperor. Her shoulders slumped in disappointment. Wearily the broke the seal and unfurled the scroll to reveal the message inside.

 _ **The Uchiha clan is formally invited to attend the most wonderous and historical wedding of your crowned Prince and ruler…**_

Sasuke folded his arms across his chest and resisted the urge to scoff. They'd finally backed the blonde prince into a corner. He would only get away with being unwed for so long. Quickly his eyes scanned the invitation for the date before he scoffed. The wedding wasn't until the beginning of next spring. After putting his intended off for so long she must have commissioned the invitations as soon as a date had been chosen. Naruto was in for a world of migraines with an impetuous empress as she was.

"A wedding." Hinata said softly and the eyes of her two attendant's eyes lit up. Ino even stopped fanning, much to the chagrin of the other servants and came over to read the letter in Hinata's lap.

"The Prince is getting married?" she said giddily with a large smile on her face. "How romantic!"

Sakura nodded and took the letter into her own possession.

"I've always wanted to see the capital." She added with short glances up at Sasuke. "Will we all be going?"

"I don't see why not." Hinata replied and the two girls squealed happily before running off to tell their third member.

The other servants gathered grumbled amongst themselves but eventually peeled off from watching Sai's painting. They had a trip to prepare for. That meant there was more to do than simply prepare pretty kimonos for the matriarch to wear. Sai notably let out a sigh of relief with his audience now dispersed. With a languid roll of his shoulders, he resumed his work with a renewed vigor.

"The future emperor is getting married." Hinata mumbled thoughtfully. "He is your friend…Sasuke?"

Were he and Naruto friends? Naruto would certainly say that they were but the word held no meaning to him. To be quite frank his life did not allow the luxury of 'friendship'. His visits to the imperial city were a duty he fulfilled as a spare. Anything borne from those visits was meant to benefit the standing of the clan. Nothing more. Nothing less. Still, his moments away from the Shiro were a gift. He was no longer the spare that the staff was obligated to keep alive. At least he'd always assumed he was the spare but now…

 _ **Everything hurts…it hurts so much and I don't understand why. I can't remember anything…**_

Now he was not so sure.

If he read more he would have his answer. Part of him wanted to. Another part wished that he'd burned the books when he'd had the chance. Deep down he knew what was written on those pages. Why his father hated him. Why his mother was so…lonely.

He knew.

And it was all his fault.

"What is he like?" Hinata asked, snapping him from the turmoil of his own thoughts.

Sasuke blinked, the world around him finally coming back into focus. Hinata wasn't looking at him though he could sense her concern. The longer he stayed silent the more she would want to know…if she didn't already.

' _It's not your fault.'_

Did she know?

After leaving the journals in her quarters there were too many of them for her to have finished reading but perhaps…just maybe there were more mentions of the incident. Maybe his mother remembered what had happened to her. The reasons for her fear…his father's neglect…

"Sasuke." Hinata said again, this time more gently as she touched his hand that had begun to squeeze her shoulder. "Tell me about Naruto."

The Uchiha eased up on the pressure of her shoulder and the memory of a boisterous laugh pushed itself to the forefront of his thoughts. It was a small but welcome reprieve.

"Naruto is an idiot."

Hinata let out a short breath of almost laughter through her nose.

"I'm sure he is smart in his own way." She said and Sasuke scoffed.

"If he were to hear you say that he would never shut up."

"He sounds friendly."

"He's an idiot."

A cool breeze rustled the leaves overhead as silence fell between them once more. Hinata's doves cooed next to her, content to rest in their mistress's presence. Finally, Sai leaned back on his stool, his lips pressed together in concentration before he finally retired his brush. He cupped his cheek in his free hand and looked back at them with a bored expression.

"I'm done." He said and stood up.

Hinata quickly let out a sigh of relief, her shoulders finally relaxing. Sasuke allowed his own shoulders to slump. This entire portrait ordeal had better have been worth it. On stiff legs, they slowly approached the artist's work. As soon as Hinata laid eyes on it she gasped, her hand covering her mouth.

"Oh Sai-san…it's beautiful."

 **..…**

' _How much longer must I suffer this torture?'_

The artist and Hinata's ditzy attendant were absolutely sickening. How he'd been persuaded to deign himself to eat dinner with them way beyond his own comprehension. He blamed the sake he drank by the river after the painting was completed.

"Try this one Sai-kun, you will really like it."

Sai passed the giggly blonde his plate, they horrible smile on his face. It sight of the man's smile never failed to make a shiver run down the Uchiha's spine. It was so…unnatural. Besides his creepy disposition, the way the servant girl doted on the artist further served to make Sasuke's stomach churn. The only other couple he'd witness treat each other with such deference was the emperor and empress themselves. Minato and Kushina Namikaze, an arranged marriage that only by a fluke ended up sprouting what others labeled love. Their love was probably why their son was as idiotic as he was. Marriage was not a method used for love but one of gaining influence.

Not that these two morons had much 'influence' to their name.

A servant that didn't even own the clothes on her back and a wandering artist. They should not even have the privilege of eating at the same table as they were but a certain matriarch felt it necessary to celebrate the completion of their portrait. Sai had only done what he'd been commissioned, that didn't require them going the extra mile like this. Even the other servants were shocked by her unnecessary gesture, Sasuke scoffed and glanced at the culprit for their home's discomfort. She was none the wiser of the ill-mannered nature of her deeds. She looked at the doting couple with her chin cupped in her hand and stars in her eyes. How she saw anything 'good' in their displays of affection was beyond him. When the plates were finally cleared, Sasuke felt a sense of relief that his duties had come to an end for the night.

"Dinner was excellent. Uchiha-sama. I doubt that I will eat anything as wonderful again." Sai said mechanically, laying the flattery on extra thick.

Sasuke nearly choked on his tea.

"You are welcome to return at anytime Sai-san. I'm sure we will have a need for your services again in the near future. When my husband returns I'm sure he will want a piece commissioned."

"You are too kind."

Sasuke rolled his eyes and rose to his feet. He no longer wished to suffer the presence of his companions, especially the fake smiles and Hinata's talk of Itachi. She barely knew the man outside of their marriage bed. That thought made the Uchiha inwardly cringe. In his waking thoughts, the idea of Hinata and his brother repulsed him and yet…

The woman still managed to appear in his dreams.

He blamed the sake he drank to fall asleep.

"Sasuke." Hinata called, finally taking notice of his departure. "Are you leaving already? They will be bringing out dessert-"

Whatever plea to get him to stay died shortly when the shoji door to the tea room slid open with a great force. In the doorway stood the last thing anyone had expected. The man stood sloppily between two older male attendants that struggled to keep him standing upright. He lacked any armor or weapons but an Uchiha could not mistake his simple uniform for anything else. He was one of their men.

Black eyes peered desperately at him through dirt encrusted eyes, a glimmer of success shining in them before they closed completely. When his body slumped, shrieks of the female attendants filled the room. Sasuke rushed forward to help the older men carry their burden and the warrior's weight fell forward into his chest.

"The Commander-" the man wheezed but that was all he was able to utter before he passed out completely.

 _ **To be continued**_ …..


	17. Chapter 17

**CCNote: I'm wondering if fanfiction is becoming used less? There aren't many people making new stuff or interacting like back in the day. I may move my work onto a more active forum since I really want to read more new stuff and reach more eyeballs but idk where. **

**ANYWAY, You have the wonderful composer Florence Price to thank for this chapter. I'd been stuck for a week on the last scene but it just flowed out quickly thanks to her music. Ignore glaring mistakes they will get fixed. Please enjoy this chapter and don't forget to leave a REVIEW!**

 **The Commander's Baishun**

 _I kill an ant_

 _And realize my three children_

 _Have been watching._

 _ **(Kato Shuson)**_

 _ **The Sixteenth Spring of the Suzume**_

 _ **Uchiha Encampment**_

… _ **..**_

"And then he made us run right back up the hill after we'd already done it five times. Can you believe that?"

Since her voice was higher than most men her age, Hanabi had found that talking was something she should rarely indulge in. The less she said the better.

"I believe that you will survive a bit of running." Moegi countered as she dodged Hanabi's lunge towards her middle.

The Hyuuga blinked, surprised at the girl's quickness but quickly righted herself.

"I don't believe we will survive. No less than ten men passed out."

The Uchiha Commander was a tyrant but she would never say such a thing out loud. It was only at times when she was cloistered away in Moegi's tent that she felt free enough to speak. Even if that freedom came at a cost. She and Moegi circled one another, wary of the other's move.

Usually, Moegi allowed her to make the first move and attack but the girl was a blur of orange as she kicked her feet out from underneath her and twisted Hanabi's wrist. With a knee dug into her spine and her arm twisted at an awkward angle, Hanabi hissed and was rewarded with a mouthful of dirt.

"If they try to come at you with a weapon don't grab for it. Grab for their wrist like this….and twist it back."

"Ah! That hurts!"

"It's supposed to hurt."

Hanabi scowled as Moegi released her wrist without much care to the pain she inflicted. Some doctor's assistant she was turning out to be. She was merciless. The redhead smirked at Hanabi's discomfort and was rewarded with a petulant sneer.

"You are becoming more and more unladylike every day." Moegi snorted.

"You know I was never much of a lady to begin with."

" True, let's call it a night."

Relief filled Hanabi at the end of their private training session and threw herself down onto Moegi's bedding. It had been a long day of running up hills, running back down them, and fighting with her fellow soldiers. Her muscles never seemed to get used to the harsh conditions and none of the generals gave them any leeway. Not when the Commander was just over their shoulders, ever vigilant and calculating.

Hanabi could not see the sweet husband her sister had written about in her previous letters. Uchiha Itachi was the furthest thing from _sweet_. He was uncompromising, unrelenting, and above all hell bent on running his troops into the ground. _Still_ , she would be lying if she wasn't able to admit that she'd progressed a lot physically within his ranks.

Her frame wasn't what anyone would call 'muscular' but where she was once soft, she was now firm. If she kept this up, her late bloom into puberty might never occur. Instead of curves and feminine whiles, puberty had only seen fit to give her the gift of menstruation which she desperately wished to return to sender. Sighing, Hanabi rolled over onto her side and watched as Mogei undressed from her uniform and prepared for bed. They were close in age and yet… The men around the camp talked about her as if she were a beauty for the ages.

"Your breasts are the size of ripe summer melons" Hanabi grumbled and Moegi rolled her eyes.

"Did one of the men tell you that?" she scoffed. "Stop listening to their filth. It will rot your brain."

This time Hanabi rolled her eyes and onto her back.

"In any case, it's not anything to be jealous of. You're lucky you're so small. You won't draw any unwanted attention."

"I am most definitely not jealous and that sounds like a nice way of calling me ugly."

Moegi snorted and pulled her sleeping yukata closed.

"You are not ugly. Dirty and rude but not ugly."

Hanabi didn't believe her. She'd seen beauty in her own sister. Moegi was pretty in her own right. Even Haru had a certain air about him and he was a _boy_. The same could not be said for herself.

"You should leave soon." Moegi said. "I don't want you to shirk off our session tomorrow because you're too tired. Don't forget to-"

"Keep a knife under my pillow. I got it, I got it."

Hanabi yawned and did as she was told. As much as she abhorred _extra_ training it was necessary. There were things taught within this tent that she would never learn out there with the other soldiers. Like how to gauge a man's eye out with her thumbs. How to get away from potential assaulters. How to keep her secret a secret. She gave Moegi a half-hearted wave as she lifted the flap of her tent, her own bed was calling out to her desperately.

It was either her bed calling out or Konohamaru's snores had finally seeped into her subconscious.

 **…..**

The next day was just as grueling as it's predecessors. With the unseasonably hot spring sun beating down on the back of her neck, she was sweating enough to soak through her standard issued yukata. She longed to rid herself of the cotton sleeves and wear the garment around her waist like the rest of the men but alas it was not meant to be. Hopefully, once this was all over she would be able to take a dip in the river alone. The promise of a cooling swim in mind, she knocked her bow and took a deep breath.

In. Out. Release.

The arrow whizzed through the air just like its neighbors however like the others it fell far short from the intended target. Hanabi stamped her foot and let out an irritated whistle through clenched teeth. This entire exercise was pointless.

"It so hot!" Udon whined next to her. "We are all going to die of heat exhaustion by the end of this!"

"You'll die by the Commander's hand if he hears you." Konohamaru warned as he picked an arrow up from the ground.

"We're all going to die anyway."

' _With that sunny attitude of course you will._ ' Hanabi smirked to herself and readied her bow. ' _I for one am not prepared to die.'_

"Looks like we've got a cocky one." A voice behind her chuckled and snatched her bow. "Too bad drawing like this is the quickest way to send an arrow through your nose."

Hanabi and her two companions whirled around to see the Commander's right-hand man with a broad smile on his face.

"You two boys go on with your squad leader for the next exercise. You will stay here Hyuuga."

"What? Why?" Hanabi blurted out and Shisui's smile widened but he didn't give an answer.

Swallowing the rest of her retort, Hanabi tried to ignore the pitying looks that Udon and Konohamaru shot her. Once the are was clear out, all that was left behind were twenty hand-picked recruits that all held varying looks of trepidation. Shisui didn't notice their uncertainty at all, in fact, he never stopped smiling. Waving his hands in the air, he motioned for them to come in closer with a gusto.

"So as you know I'm your highest ranking General. Second in Command. The best damn hand at cards. A stomach of steal. But you can just call me Shisui alright?" he said and Hanabi felt a bit of her apprehension lessen. He was much too cheerful to be handing out punishments. It was still odd though. If he wasn't disappointed in their skills why gather them? As if he could read the question on everyone's faces, Shisui paced back and forth slowly with his hands behind his back.

"Now we will be leaving this encampment soon and heading towards the mountains. Fighting there will be a bit more difficult, the terrain rough. You have never experienced anything like it before. However, I have full faith that you will all rise above my expectations."

"But sir…" a slender and short brunette asked with a nervous hand raised. Their dark eyes darted around the group before hesitantly speaking. "Why us?"

Shisui blinked as if the answer were the most obvious thing in the world. The recruit lowered their hand and bowed their head.

"I don't mean to question your judgment and I can't speak for everyone but I'm not a good archer or fighter really. There are plenty of bigger soldiers with much better aim-"

"What was your name boy?" the Uchiha asked, cutting off the brunette's self-deprecating diatribe.

"Haru sir."

"Ah, Haru. That's a nice name. I'm Shisui, not sir by the way."

"Yes sir- I mean S-Shisui."

"There we go!" Shisui enthused before throwing an arm around Haru's shoulders and bringing him into the center of the group. "I chose you all because you are not bigger like the rest of them. Your frame is small and compact. That will give you an advantage that the others will not possess when it comes to speed and flexibility. You will all learn with time that the body you have is optimum for archery. Even if you aren't good right now, with my teachings one day you will wake up and believe that you are the bow and your finger an arrow."

Hanabi eyed the other twenty recruits and like Haru, they were all small to the point of being skinny. Their limbs were long so she guessed that meant they had the potential to be fast. Whatever this Uchiha saw in them she didn't understand but at least she wasn't being punished.

"In short," Shisui continued despite the skepticism of his audience. "You're perfect to undertake this task."

The Hyuuga let out an involuntary grunt under her breath, trying hard not to laugh at the General's idiotic optimism. This reaction was the first to garner his attention and his creepy smile turned to Hanabi.

"If any of you don't take this seriously, I can always stick you on the front lines where you belong. Am I clear?'

His threat was crystal clear and the spines of everyone in the group. With a tilt of his head, he finally dropped his smile.

"So, who wants to eat dinner tonight?"

The group looked at one another warily. It was only midday and he was already talking about dinner. General Shisui was a strange man indeed.

 **…..**

 _ **The Twenty-fifth Spring of the Karasu**_

 _ **Uchiha Encampment**_

 **… _._**

It wasn't hard to parry the blows of his opponent. The clash of steel, his feet sliding back ever so slightly in the dirt. With just a bit more force he was able to overtake the weight of his soldier's blade. Steel slid past each other with a ring. The soldier hesitated. In only a second Itachi turned on the ball of his left foot, his katana slicing backhandedly in the air to rest just a hair's breadth away from the man's neck.

The soldier stared back at him wide-eyed and surprised while those in the audience applauded the mock battle. Itachi did not heed their praise. All he cared about was the survival of his men. Haughtily, he lowered his sword and turned to his opponent. He was a tall, lanky boy with the dark hair and eyes of an Uchiha. A boy that couldn't have been much older than Sasuke. He smiled sheepishly back at the Commander but the expression dropped almost immediately by the look in Itachi's eyes.

"Commander-" the boy started but his words died in his throat.

"Do you wish to die?" Itachi asked.

The boy shook his head furiously, his shaggy brown hair following his every move. A hush fell over the crowd.

"Your hesitation tells me otherwise." Itachi said and the boy gulped. "When we fight your opponent will not give you the chance to breathe. The breath you take may very well be your last so don't."

The boy nodded, a bit of nervousness leaving his eyes. Itachi stepped away and slid back into a fighting stance and the boy followed suit. When their swords met this time, Itachi couldn't help but smile.

Later that night after all of his men had been dismissed, Itachi found himself taking a moment to rest. The water of the river shone brightly in the moonlit sky and rippled with the evening breeze. It was a welcome respite from a long day of stress and the Uchiha relished within its depths. It wasn't very late in the evening, he could still hear the merriment of his men in the barracks. Despite a grueling day they still found the energy to take pleasure in comradery.

Itachi groaned as he splashed some of the river water over his face. He _wished_ that he was able to relax enough to join them but his mind refused to rest. If he wasn't focused on the immediate task of creating a competent army he was devising ways to find his father. Both goals at the moment seemed daunting but finding the former Commander was proving to be nearly impossible.

 _ **'The people have heard.'**_

That ominous note struck a chord in the back of his mind. He knew those words. He knew that they were a threat and yet he couldn't place from who. Many nights had been spent reading that short note over and over again, racking his brain for answers it refused to give. Sighing, Itachi rose from the river and walked over to a low lying branch where his yukata hung.

 _'How was it possible that a small company of our best warriors could just disappear without a trace?'_ Itachi thought as he redressed. _'It's just not possible._ '

Frowning, he made his way through the lively camp. If spotted by his men they would bow and mutter a greeting but they all knew to stay out of his way. They respected that. However, as some of the youngest troops scrambled over one another to avoid his gaze he wondered if it was merely respect that kept their eyes lowered and their feet quick. Were they…were they afraid of him?

 _'No._ ' Itachi thought as he approached the outskirts of their encampment. _'I am not my father.'_

The tents became less closely packed and the tree line emerge. Just outside of the light of camp he could see his own tent sitting alone in the distance. Yet the field was not as isolated as he would have hoped to find it. Ten of their youngest recruits were gathered near the starting point of the archery field. They looked weary as they knocked their bows and their arrows barely flew a few feet in front of them.

Inwardly he sighed. He was not going to be able to sleep tonight, the sound of their practicing was only going to further his irritation. As he approached a few of them turned around with hope in their eyes but that hope died quickly. They nudged the ones still trying to shoot and bowed deeply at the waist.

"What are you all still doing out here?" he asked and the boys all nervously looked to one another, reluctant to speak. Finally, a young Uchiha boy stepped forward, clutching his bow to his chest as if it were a shield.

"General Shisui said that we must hit the target or no dinner sir."

Itachi pinched the bridge of his nose. Shisui and his antics were going to be the death of him. His methods of training were unorthodox at best and tonight he did not have the patience to deal with it.

"You may leave." Itachi said with a wave of his hand.

The boys looked hesitant but eventually, they relinquished their weapons and sprinted away before he could change his mind. All except one. Pale eyes stared back at him with a questioning look in their depths. They were eyes so similar to his wife's that on more than one occasion Itachi had to wonder if this boy were not a bastard of someone within the main branch. It would not surprise him if the boy belonged to Hiashi himself.

"Are you not hungry like your comrades?" Itachi asked as the boy's stomach growled loudly.

"No…" the boy denied but his stomach growled again. "I mean yes but no."

Itachi raised a brow at the incoherent sentence and the boy's face turned such a brilliant shade of red he'd only witnessed from Hinata.

Hinata. Yet another weight that rested heavily on his shoulders.

"Commander." The boy said, his blush receding only slightly. "Have you heard any news about the Hyuuga clan?"

The Uchiha pressed his lips in a tight line and folded his arms over his chest. Outside of the Hyuuga Hiashi's murder, he had heard nothing from a clan that was their ally through marriage. They didn't even send the troops they promised and Itachi doubted they would show up when he needed them. The lone Hyuuga within their ranks' face fell as his silence was taken as the answer. It was unsettling to see such a normally vibrant face lose color so quickly.

"Your wife is a Hyuuga." The boy said finally, breaking the silence that threatened to stretch on endlessly.

Itachi nodded, noting the smile that played on the boy's face. It was small but definitely there. There was a hint of barely concealed pride in the boy's statement. Bastard or no, the Hyuuga were a proud people. In the back of his mind, just a little of fatigue chipped away. Maybe he did have just a little patience left on this night.

"You are curious about her." He smirked and stooped to pick up an abandoned bow the others had left behind. "Watch me."

The Hyuuga blinked in surprise but he continued. He turned to the side, his bow arrowless, and raised his weapon into position. He then plucked at the string and the flexible bamboo bent at his command. When he released the string there was no whoosh of an arrow. He lowered his weapon and started the process all over again. On his third rotation, the Hyuuga crossed his arms and frowned.

"What is the point of knocking an arrowless bow?" he asked.

Itachi smirked.

"The _point_ is to get to know your weapon. The weight. It's bend. How much you need to ask of it." He explained. "Fall in."

The boy grumbled a bit but eventually followed his order. Lowering his weapon, Itachi tapped between the boy's feet and earned himself a glare.

"Your feet are too close together."

The boy adjusted properly only to be reprimanded with a rapt to his forearm.

"Keep straight or the only thing you'll shoot is the ground."

"Back straight."

"Don't lower your arm yet."

"Pull."

"Loose."

The boy lowered his arms and stared back incredulously though Itachi remained unswayed. With a quirk of his eyebrow, the boy resumed.

Again and again and again.

Until the sounds of the encampment faded and the fires went out. Until the only thing left was the light of the moon. When it looked as if the boy's arms were ready to give out, Itachi handed him an arrow. The boy hesitated for half a breath but took the arrow. Feet apart. Back straight. Arrow perfectly set in parallel to his arm.

"Knock."

He pulled back. Curiously his eyes closed.

"Loose."

The arrow flew through the air quickly, and the satisfying puncture of it hitting the target echoed into the night. Itachi felt the corners of his lips twitch as the boy opened his eyes at the sound and stared in amazement. It wasn't a bullseye. It wasn't even close to the center but the arrow had hit.

"I did it!" the Hyuuga shouted, punching the air successfully. "Look at that! I did it!"

Itachi let out a short breath through his nose at the look of pride on the boy's face. Who would have imagined that such a small feat could feel like a victory?

"If you keep your eyes open, next time you might hit the center." He said, doing his best not to laugh when the Hyuuga's face turned bright red again.

"What are you talking about? I didn't close my eyes."

Itachi gave him a knowing look.

"I didn't!"

He most definitely _did_.

"I just squinted! Look!"

The boy's cheeks puffed out and his eyes narrowed to slits, a sight that left him more akin to an overeager squirrel than a dragon. It was almost enough to make Itachi laugh…almost. They still had so much work to do.

"Come. Start from the beginning." He said and the Hyuuga pouted.

"Again?"

"Again."

 **….**

 _ **The Sixteenth Summer of the Suzume**_

 _ **Uchiha Encampment**_

 **… _.._**

Spring gave away to Summer uneventfully for Hanabi though little by little she felt herself making more progress. Every morning would begin the same way with being roused from her futon before the sun rose. From there she would train with the rest of the boys her age until midday.

Then it was specialized archery exercises from General Shisui. The General was an excellent teacher. He was patient and easy going but still strict when he needed to be. After training with her archery group she would eat and pretend to get ready for bed. Once Konohamaru and Udon were asleep she would sneak out to Moegi's tent. After a day of mostly holding her tongue, it was nice to speak to a girl, even one as unmerciful as Moegi.

This had been her routine every day except sometimes…sometimes she did not go back to her tent. Although it was late and the moon hung high she was not ready to sleep. She'd slip away to the armament tent and take a bow and quiver full of arrows. With only the stars to light her way, she would sneak to archery field and practice. On most nights the Commander was still awake however she was under no pretense that he was waiting for her.

No. She had a sneaky suspicion that he couldn't actually get to sleep.

Every night he looked more tired than the last but by morning no one would be able to tell or at least no one looked close enough. They were all too afraid to look him directly in the eyes. Part of her wanted to ask him why he always looked like death warmed over but she held her tongue. He was a good teacher. So every session they had she would shoot again and again and until her arms grew stiff and her eyes itched. Even then she kept at it.

Again and again and again.

Each night before the sky lightened with the rays of false dawn she would drag her exhausted body back to her tent and fall asleep between Konohamaru and Udon. It would feel as if she'd only closed her eyes for a second before the morning horn would blow and her routine would begin again. It was odd but she enjoyed this tiring life a lot more than being behind the walls of the compound. It was filthy and uncivilized at times but she was happier here amongst strangers than she'd ever been with her family.

She missed her father terribly and sometimes before she fell asleep she wondered if he was still looking for her. She hoped not. As selfish as it was she would run away all over again even without getting married. The food was terrible and the men at times were worse but every day held so much excitement. The promise of adventure called to her, drawing her further and further away from her initial goal.

"Fall in."

Hanabi blinked away her thoughts as Shisui commanded their group. They fell into a straight formation, each one of them pulling an arrow from their quivers.

"Knock."

She pulled the bow down from above her head and smoothly aligned her arrow so that it was parallel to her arm. When the string was taunt she held the arrow tightly between her fingers and her eyes focused on the target in front of her. Nothing else existed except the one red circle in the center.

"Loose."

Her arrow whizzed through the air with a flurry of others but she kept her eye focused on her own. Some of the arrows fell just short of the target but most of them hit their intended marks. Her own arrow vibrated tensely just short of the red circle.

"Again."

As the process repeated itself Hanabi took a deep breath and her body moved automatically through Shisui's commands. This, this life spent under a baking sun was one she relished. With the dirt beneath her nails and an arrow between her fingers.

She did not wish for this to end.

"Knock. Loose."

This time her arrow hit just a little bit closer to the center. It wasn't much but it was an improvement. Still, she couldn't help but curse under her breath. Shisui smirked as he came up to her and placed his hands on top of her shoulders. He then twisted her just a hair's width to the left before walking away and correcting the rest of his men.

"Knock."

Taking a deep breath through her nose, she grabbed an arrow. String taunt, she could feel the power of the bow vibrate beneath her grip.

"Loose."

 **…..**

"I heard that they've been at it every night this week."

"Saw it with my own eyes last night when I took a piss."

"What makes him so special?"

"Oh didn't you know?"

Hanabi frowned as she stubbornly did her best to ignore the snickering men in the line for lunch behind her. She just wanted to get her food, eat, and return to training. She did not need the additional side of gossip with her meal. She would have thought men preparing for battle would have more important things to discuss amongst themselves but they didn't and entertainment was scarce.

Gossip ran rampant throughout the ranks like the fact that everyone believed Haru to be a woman until they pulled down his hakama and the contents of his loincloth proved them wrong. It wasn't an amusing sight to witness but at least they were off his back. Now their interest had turned to her and she did not appreciate it.

"He isn't walking funny."

"Not yet anyway!"

The raucous laughter that ensued burned her ears and made her heart beat erratically in her chest. If it were possible for her face to turn any redder it would. In front of her, Konohamaru turned around and gave her a weak smile of solidarity.

 _'Just ignore them. Just ignore them._ ' Hanabi thought as she moved up a step in the line. 'They are just a bunch of bored pigs. Just ignore them.'

"Hey, Hyuuga! Care to show us what makes you so special?"

"Hyuuga!"

A small tap to her shoulder tried to get her attention to turn around but she didn't. The next tap wasn't as gentle as the first but she rolled her shoulders.

"Aw, I think he's ignoring us. What? Too high and mighty to acknowledge us, commoners, now that you're spending late nights with the Commander?"

"Hey! You shut your mouth before I shut it for you!" Konohamaru shouted as the laughter behind them became almost deafening. Hanabi put a hand on his forearm and gripped it tightly. These men weren't worth Konohamaru getting in trouble for. Behind her, the man who'd been trying to get her attention before placed a heavy hand on her shoulder.

"Quite the brave boyfriend you've got here."

Hanabi brushed his hand off of her shoulder, keeping her eyes focused on the slowly moving line ahead of her. He had no right to think he could touch a Hyuuga. Her cold behavior only speared the man on and a chorus of jeers from his friends further fueled his actions. A burly arm came around her shoulders and pulled her back into an even harder chest. The smell of the day's activities was ripe on him and made the back of her throat sting.

"Since you're good enough for the Commander and this runt, why don't you show the rest of us why you're so special. I promise I'm gentle-"

His hand slid down her shoulder to her arm and faster than anyone had anticipated, Hanabi ducked out from under his arm. It was like a reflex that she couldn't control and as soon as she spun on her heel, her arm was already reeling backward. She didn't even register she'd hit her target until she felt the bones in his nose crack under the heel of her hand.

Hanabi looked down at the bloodied hand as the man clutched his nose in shock. She'd never actually hit someone before. She'd only done what Moegi had told her to do if a man tried to touch her. Despite her shock at her own actions, a sense of pride welled inside of her as the watched the rotund gossip monger grovel with his friends. The lunch line was now effectively facing a different direction and her fellow recruits started to encircle them. The older man holding his nose glared at her and wiped away the blood with the back of his hand.

"Son of a bitch. Fine. I'll teach you a lesson." He growled and lunged at her but Hanabi easily sidestepped him.

His weight and rage made him stumble and now the laughter was no longer directed at her but _him._ Seeing his friends lose respect for him enraged the man further and with a guttural cry, he lunged for her again. This time she had more control over her actions instead of being driven by adrenaline and muscle memory.

In her mind, she pictured Neji training with branch members twice his size, the calm way he stood and enticed his enemy to come closer before turn on his heel at the last second and bringing his elbow down on their neck as hard as he could. She wasn't as smooth or as powerful as her cousin but the move worked and the man lay spluttering at her feet in the dirt.

"Oh wow!" Konohamaru cheered, although he was the only one actually happy.

The rest of them stared at her warily, surprised that the object of their gossip actually fought back.

"What is the meaning of this?"

The crowd stiffened at the sound of their Commander and those in his path immediately stepped out of his way. Shisui trailed behind him, his normally friendly demeanor nowhere to be found. As they regarded the injured man on the ground, the other recruits took another collective step back, guilt evident on everyone's face. Hanabi rolled her eyes at how scared these men were acting. They weren't this bashful when loudly debating their leaders 'proclivities'.

"Commander-" Hanabi started but his dark eyes narrowed at her as he rose to his feet.

"Did you do this?" he asked, his voice cold and devoid of any inflection.

"Yes-"

"Thirty laps. Now." He said and Hanabi gapped.

"What?! Why! He's the one that started it-" she protested, the blood from her opponent seeping between her fingers as she clenched her fists.

"Hyuuga-" Shisui warned but Hanabi ignored him and took two steps forward. She stared at the bane of her existence straight in her eye, her jaw set tight.

"If you are willing to punish me without hearing both sides of the incident then you are a terrible leader."

The silence that surrounded her after her outburst was almost worse than the laughter from before. _Almost._ She could tell him who she was right now. Lay it right out on his feet and the look on his face when he knew how poorly he'd treated his wife's sister would be priceless. Yet she couldn't stop her rant. The words tumbled off her tongue faster than she could think but it felt good. So so good.

"I hate the fact that you allow disgusting bastards like him to stand within your ranks! You think you have their loyalty but all you have is food and fear that keeps these men by your side!"

"Hyuuga." Itachi finally said when she ran out of steam. "That's sixty laps now. If you say another word it will become ninety."

Her mouth fell open slightly but no words came out this time. She looked to Shisui and in return, all she received was his disappointed gaze. Her blood boiling and her eyes stinging with unshed tears of frustration she turned on her heel, the crowd parting to give her passage. Not a whisper or a snicker followed her as she left. As she placed one foot in front of the other, she made her way to the camp perimeter.

The midday sun of the summer had never felt so hot.

 **….**

The running itself was not an issue…at least not in the beginning.

If she'd still been living the life she'd grown accustomed to before her father's training she wouldn't have made it more than one lap around the encampment. Her endurance had certainly progressed to a point that she was proud of but there was only so much pride before the pebbles underfoot began to be felt more prominent. Only so much pride before the sun beating down on her skin made her feel as if she were being cooked inside of her own clothing.

Still, she wouldn't give up. He wanted her to break like all of his other men, to fear him and fold as they did. She however was a Hyuuga and Hyuuga did not break.

 _'You must endure even when it hurts.'_

It hurt, it hurt _a lot_. By the twentieth lap it was almost too painful to breathe.

She was on lap thirty-seven or eight by the time General Shisui found her again. Hanabi ignored him just as he'd done earlier. He didn't call out to her, he simply fell into a light jog by her side and continued until the sky changed from blue to orange. He barely broke a sweat as they ran. Hanabi couldn't help but resent him for it.

It was on her fiftieth lap when her lungs finally decided they'd had enough of the torment and contracted so sharply that she fell to her knees gasping. Her fingers clawed at her throat desperately as she coughed and sputtered in vain attempts to expand. The General crouched down beside her, a heavy hand gently rubbed circles into her back.

"Breathe in through your nose. Hold it." Shisui instructed, his voice soft but firm. Though his command was difficult, Hanabi did as she was told. Her lungs rattled as she did so. "Let it out through your mouth. Slowly...slowly...good."

She didn't _feel_ any better. Her heart still felt as if it were threatening to jump out of her chest and sweat streamed down her face faster than before.

"You're overheating." Shisui tsked and reached for the front of her yukata to pull it open but she caught his wrist. Weakly she shook her head and his hand dropped from her grip. "Now is not the time for modestly Hyuuga-"

"I'm…not being…modest." She panted. "I'm _fine._ "

Shisui clicked his tongue against the roof of his mouth and went to unclip the waterskin at his side. He then unscrewed the top and poured half of its contents on her head. Hanabi whimpered at the cold water but it was exactly what she needed. Slowly, her muscles relaxed and her heart calmed. When her breathing was almost normal, Shisui hovered the waterskin just under her nose and she grabbed it gratefully. She brought the nozzle up to her chapped lips and drank gratefully until her stomach started to ache.

"Oi, don't drink so fast." Shisui chuckled and tipped the skin slightly to stop the quick flow. "You're going to make yourself choke."

Hanabi blushed from embarrassment from her previous greed but she was positive he couldn't tell the difference since her skin was flushed from exertion.

"Sorry." She mumbled and Shisui stopped laughing at her, instead of adjusting his crouch to rest on his haunches.

"You know, I'm impressed you lasted this long to be honest. Our men have been brought to their knees much sooner."

"I am not like _your men_." Hanabi spat bitterly. A curious look fell over the General's face but it faded away to seriousness.

"No. I don't believe you are." He said softly.

His dark eyes burrowed deeply into her own and for a minute it felt as if he could see right through her…as if he knew. As he stared unabashedly, his lips twitched into a smile, a smile that was kinder than the usual façade he wore. The expression held a familiarity to it that she could almost place but she knew she'd never seen him smile this way before. She was sure that she hadn't…

"You know you really got under his skin earlier. Not too many would seek to be so blatantly disrespectful. Itachi-kun is many things but not as terrible as you may say."

Hanabi frowned and looked away from the General. Itachi wasn't _terrible._ He was relentless, a perfectionist, an insomniac…but not terrible. He didn't have to help her with her shooting every night. He could just walk past her but he always stayed. One point in his corner.

He should have at least heard her side of the incident. Mentally she revoked his point.

"You are not wrong however." Shisui chuckled, ruffling her short sticky hair playfully. "It is true that it is fear that keeps his men in line and food that keeps them from running away. The life of a warrior is not as honorable as the poets transcribed. The time of those who even fought for glory is long past and loyalty is scarce these days."

Hanabi nodded solemnly. Those disgusting men and their vile words knew nothing of honor. If they did they would have sooner ripped out their tongues than utter such rumors.

"Still, we do what we must."

"And what is it that you _must_ do?" Hanbai asked. "Why are the Uchiha preparing for a battle?"

Shisui let out a sigh and shook his head.

"Not a battle. I fear that this may turn into a war. Come, I'll explain as much as I can but for now, we should head to camp before Itachi-kun sends someone else."

Hanabi blinked and cocked her head slightly to the side in confusion.

"As I said before, he is many things but he is not terrible. He didn't order me to but it was obvious by his bad attitude after your outburst that he was worried about you. So I'm here to make sure you don't keel over and die before he's eaten by guilt."

"It'll take more than a run to end me." Hanabi snorted, offended at the Uchihas' underestimation of her endurance.

"I hope you're right Hyuuga." Shisui chuckled as he shuffled around in his crouch and offer her his back. "Hop on. We will get back faster if I carry you."

Hanabi opened her mouth to reject his offer, it was utterly improper for a woman to be on a man's back. Yet she caught herself, she was not a 'woman' here. She was a subordinate in the Uchiha forces and her superior was offering her a small kindness and taking pity on her. Swallowing all of her moral teachings, Hanabi reluctantly settled onto his back. She gingerly wrapped her legs around his waist and neck, praying all the while he couldn't feel how hard her heart was beating.

"You need to eat more. You're much too light." Shisui teased as he smoothly stood up.

"I'll eat an extra bowl of rice just for you General." Hanabi quipped back and relished how loudly he laughed.

"Not General-"

"I mean _Shisui_."

"Much better. I'm thankful for your cooperation Hyuuga. Hold on tightly, I don't want you to slip."

Hanabi did as she was told and stifled a giggled from escaping when he bounced her slightly on his back. She hadn't been carried in such a way in a long time. Not since Hinata still lived in the compound and they would beg Neji to trot them around the garden. He always aquiesced to their demands. Her heart tugged uncomfortably at the memory of her cousin but she bit her bottom lip and pushed her sorrow away. Now was not the time to feel homesick.

"So," Shisui started as they began their trek back to the encampment. "You wish to know why we fight? Well, _you_ should fight for the glory of battle and the silver that will line your pockets when you survive. Itachi-kun fights because it is his duty to do so. A slight against the Uchiha clan can not go unpunished. If it did we would not be seen as the spearhead of the empire."

"It seems silly to fight over a 'slight'." Hanabi mused, forgetting herself and her station. Shisui laughed and bounced her again.

"It is more than a slight I can assure you."

"Do you think you can win?"

Whatever they were fighting for she hoped that it was worth it. Shisui was silent for a moment and she was afraid that he might not answer her. When he did, his answer surprised her.

"There is no 'you' anymore, Hyuuga. There is only _we_. You or I alone can not succeed but with Itachi and the rest of our comrades we just might." He said seriously before taking on a lighter tone. "So that means no more fighting your fellow soldiers alright? Next time you break a man's nose I won't come out here to collect you! Who taught you that anyway?"

Hanabi smirked but didn't reply. Moegi was likely furious with her that she'd sent one of the most ignorant men to the medical to be treated. It was worth the verbal lashing she would receive later to recall the pitiful look on the man's face. However, her enjoyment dropped into the pit of her stomach with the sound of distant drumming and Shisui ceased their march…

 _ **To be continued….**_


	18. Chapter 18

**CCNote:** **In regards to my last note I don't care necessarily about the number of reviews to my story. I love reader feedback but this story will be updated to completion regardless. I'm more so selfishly referring to finding more stuff to read. Good new stuff isn't really popping up and community interaction is pretty low in general so I guess I'm just bored lol. I checked out AO3 but that interface gave me a headache. Wordpress feels dead. I may do Tumblr but idk. So I guess this is a call to action? Write some quality stuff for ME dammit! I'll start recommending the fics I like here too (I am a picky mofo though lol).**

 **ANYWAYS please enjoy this long chapter and another long Uchiha District chapter in a few days. Ignore all terrible glaring mistakes and don't forget to leave a REVIEW!**

 **Mamushi**

 _Blowing from the west_

 _Fallen leaves gather_

 _In the east_

 **(Yosa Buson)**

 _ **The Sixteenth Summer of the Suzume**_

 _ **Yairo Valley**_

 **…**

Even the moon had gone into hiding on this night. Its light was unavailable to them as they trekked up the forested slope of the mountain. Only the sound of their own heartbeats and breathing could be heard and even that was too loud. Hanabi clutched her bow tightly in her hand, careful where she stepped so as not to trip over a gnarled root or run into a member of her squad.

It didn't feel real...none of it did.

One minute she was being carried by Shisui and within the blink of an eye, they were preparing for battle. There wasn't much she could do except what she was told. She could only count herself lucky that she was part of the archery squad that followed Shisui up the mountain. The other half looked petrified at the prospect of hiking up the opposite side alone. Without the General to follow there was a lot more room for error on their part.

Still, the General could not always be by their side. This was to be expected, they _were_ a military force. The spearhead of the emperor. They hadn't spent the last few months training just for their own amusement. They had a purpose to fulfill and yet…it didn't feel real.

The trees thinned as they marched forward but before they broke through, Shisui held up his hand for them to stop. He poked his head out through a gap between two broad oaks and waved for them to spread out. Swallowing her nerves, Hanabi moved to her position between two young Uchiha men before crouching down behind a bush. She then placed her bow in the grass so as not to risk it being seen from the valley. They were high up enough that no one below would see it but she would rather not risk it.

Once her bow was settled at her feet, she removed her kabuto and wiped sweat from her brow with her forearm. She then placed the helmet beside her bow. As beautiful as it was, it would be of no help to here when she was shooting.

Overhead, the stars shone even brighter in the moon's absence, innocent to was to come.

Soon the valley they sparkled over would be filled with blood.

 **….**

 _ **The Twenty-sixth Summer of the Karasu**_

 _ **Outskirts of Yairo Village- Cloud Encampment**_

 **… _._**

He was going into this blind but there was nothing he could do about that. It was either now or they be the ones taken by surprise. Calmly, he pulled a black mask over his face and motioned discreetly for his two other infiltrators to fan out. By the time the sun rose fully, he would see them again or… The Uchiha shook his head. Now was not the time for thoughts on anything except the mission.

The enemy camp was much smaller than the Uchiha encampment. If anything they appeared to be an auxiliary force and could barely be considered a threat. However, they had no business in the land of fire. It had been well over a hundred years since the last time enemy combatants had set foot on the mainland of this nation. The Uchiha had always taken the battle _to_ their enemies, not the other way around.

Itachi frowned from his perch overlooking the enemy camp. The black tents were filled with merry warriors that drank and entertained themselves boisterously. Over their fires were the pigs captured from the nearby village they'd ransacked and the smell had given away their location far before the noise of the camp. They had no idea that the Uchiha forces were only an hour's march away through the valley. If it hadn't been for the small village's militia drums the two forces would have come into conflict. Whoever was in charge of this auxiliary force either didn't know about the Uchiha position or didn't care. What were they doing here in the first place?

"Only one way to find out." Itachi muttered to himself as he dropped down from his tree and into the darkness below.

It was easy for him to weave in and out of the tents unnoticed. The celebrations of the warriors was so raucous that he doubted any of them would notice if he joined them. The sake they drank was so plentiful that they didn't even mind the bottles that broke underfoot. Instead, they toasted the loss and drank more. Despite their distraction, Itachi kept to the shadows.

"D'ya think he's finished yet?" a gruff voice grunted not too far from where Itachi currently crouched.

"If it were me I'd not be spent till the sun rose."

"Yer a beast."

"Anna good un at that!"

"I'm gonna take a piss, Meet cha back in the center."

"Don't get bit by one of them there grass snakes. They're everywhere in these parts."

"I got it. I got it!"

The two men laughed loudly with one another before parting. Itachi inched closer from behind the tent and looked out to see the man leaving to relieve himself. As quietly as he could, he followed the man who grunted drunkenly as he lumbered about. The behavior almost made Itachi pity the man for what he had to do next. He waited for his target to open his yukata near the sanitary ditch of the encampment. Right before the man got the chance to relieve himself, Itachi came up behind him and slit his throat.

It was a clean cut that was only shallow enough to slit a vital artery. Instead of the blood spurting out it slowly leaked down his neck. In a way it was merciful. The man immediately whirled around as if to defend himself but couldn't move more than half a strep before he started clawing at his throat and falling to his feet. He wasn't even able to scream.

Without hesitation, Itachi crouched and began to undress the man and shed his own clothing. The only article of his own that he retained was the black mask covering the lower half of his face. It was fortuitous that the man was relatively the same size he was though the rough spun uniform was much too thick for Konoha's humid climate.

Once he was dressed, he turned to the dying man and dressed him as well and rolled him over onto his stomach. If anyone came across his body they would notice the Uchiha crest stitched defiantly on the man's back long before they identified him. With his switch now complete, Itachi left the man by the ditch and made his way back to the camp. This time he did not keep to the shadows but instead melted into the party atmosphere of the camp. He was immediately greeted by the sight of men much too confident to be so careless in enemy territory.

Frowning, he moved through the crowds until he found the largest tent in the camp. It stood unguarded and dark. All signs pointed towards it being unoccupied. At least that was what he hoped. As inconspicuously as he could, he glanced over his shoulder but no one was paying him any attention. They were too busy drinking and taking advantage of the village women they'd found. It was vile but not an aspect of war he was unfamiliar with. Without another glance, he slipped into the dark tent.

It was empty as he'd guessed and nearly pitch black. He was still able to make out the features that made it unlike the tent of an ordinary soldier. There was an extra large futon still rolled up in the corner and a low lying table that looked as if it were about to buckle under the weight of the scrolls it held. He immediately made a beeline for the table and unfurled the first scroll he saw but it was too dark to read. No matter. He rolled the scroll back up and shoved it into the inner fold of his yukata. He grabbed three more at random and made his way towards the front of the tent. Unfortunately, right at that moment, the flap opened to reveal the tent's drunken owner with a bottle of sake in one hand and a woman in the other.

' _Fuck.'_

He was screwed.

"Ya should know imma big deal. Count yerself lucky." The man slurred, nuzzling his face into the reluctant woman's neck.

Or maybe he wasn't as screwed as he thought. The man was clearly too drunk to think straight.

Unfortunately, the woman saw him as soon as the light from the bonfires outside cast in Itachi's direction. She immediately pushed aside her revulsion of the man and opened her mouth the scream but Itachi put a finger to his cover lips and shook his head. He stepped back further into the tent where the light couldn't penetrate the shadows and prayed that the woman didn't divulge his presence. The flap to the tent closed and even the little light that had been able to get in was extinguished.

"Um, Kota-sama…"

"Just Kota my dear. In this tent, I am Kota to you." The man slurred through sloppy kisses.

"K-Kota. Ma-ma-maybe we should …the candle…"

"Ah, you're shy. Don't worry, I'm most unselfish."

"Yes, Kota."

The pair walked further into the tent. Closer and closer they approached until the one name Kota was within arm's length. The man was unmistakable by the smell of sake that rolled off of him. It only took a quick elbow in his direction for the man to be sent to the ground. Based on the crunching of bone and the cry of pain, Itachi had to assume he'd broken the man's nose.

"Oh my god!" the woman gasped and scrambled away in the dark.

"Wait!" Itachi whispered as the drunk man moaned in pain on the ground. "How many more of you are there?"

The woman stopped her blind and failing retreat when the man grunted. He scuffled about and she squeaked.

"'Ow dare you hit me you bitch! Do you know who I am?!"

The man on the ground tried to get up but a simple knee to the chin knocked him down again.

"Tell me quickly!" Itachi hissed.

"Oos dere!? Ompfh!"

Unremorseful Itachi tripped the drunk man and his captive scampered away. When the man went down this time he didn't get back up. However, it wouldn't take long for someone to come investing the man's previous cries of pain.

"I-I-I don't know. Th-they took us when they r-raided the village." The woman finally stammered, choking up at the mention of her likely destroyed home.

Although he pitied her, he couldn't do more to help her situation. He couldn't erase the trauma she'd experienced that day. He couldn't undo the damage. Carefully he sidestepped the groaning man and briskly walked towards where he heard the woman stumble. He reached out into the darkness and grabbed her wrist roughly to pull her to her feet.

He couldn't do much to help her but it appeared as though fate was in his favor tonight. He didn't have to be his own decoy. Shisui would certainly have a thing or two to say about deviating from their hastily devised plan. He was already on edge about not accompanying him on this infiltration.

"Take who you can and get as far away from here as quickly as possible before dawn. Head west towards the valley. Don't go through it, take the long way around."

She wouldn't get far before the cloud warriors notice their conquests had run off. They would be easy prey for them to track down. Easy bait for his own ends.

"Dawn?" she squeaked frightenedly. "What happens at dawn? Who are you?"

Itachi didn't reply. It wouldn't benefit her in any way for him to answer. All he could hope for was that she escaped while she was still able to. Without a second thought, he slipped through the tent flap and walked calmly into the revelry of the Cloud camp.

He only had an hour left to make it to the valley and he'd already wasted too much time.

 **…..**

 _ **The Sixteenth Summer of the Suzume**_

 _ **Yairo Valley**_

 **… _._**

The sun rose overhead, bathing the lush valley in its soft morning light. It was still. Not a bird chirped. The wind did not blow. She crouched behind a tree, her view of the ground below was clear. For the longest time there was nothing until the low rumble of hooves reverberated to the same pace as her heart.

Did they know what they were walking into?

The men rode in on horses with their light blue banners held high. Since there was no wind she could not make out where these people were from. All she knew was that they were the enemy. They didn't wear any armor despite the fact that they were an invading force. How could they be so cavalier on land that was not theirs? Were they _that_ confident in their abilities? A small rustle from Shisui grabbed the squad's attention. He silently got into position, knocking his bow and pulling the string taut. Hanabi followed suit and she knew that the rest of the archers were ready as well. Although they were unable to communicate, she hoped that the other half of their group was prepared on the far side of the valley.

Shisui was the first to shoot. His arrow pierced through one of the leader's of the march. The arrow whizzed through the air without warning and pierced through the side of the man's skull. No one noticed the casualty until he fell from his horse with a heavy thud. It was then that confusion filled the valley and men looked to the sky in fear. For half a breath no one moved. No one dared to breathe. Then the soft pink sky of the dawn was blotted out and arrows rained down without pause.

Many of those arrows were her own.

She watched as some of her shots missed, taking out gravel and bushes, but most of them made their mark. Hitting a moving target should have been more difficult but in the narrow space of the valley, it was like shooting fish in a barrel. It was so embarrassingly easy to the point that she almost felt guilty. It wasn't until the beat of drums sounded that she held her fire. There was a short cry and then the valley was swarmed with men wearing the Uchiha crest.

She held her bow at the ready, prepared to shoot down any enemy warriors that broke through the Uchiha formation as she'd been told to do. The precaution was unnecessary as the enemy was thoroughly overwhelmed. There on the mountainside with a bow in her hand, she discovered why the Uchiha clan sparked fear into the hearts of men.

 **… _._**

 _ **The Twenty-sixth Summer of the Karasu**_

 _ **Yairo Valley**_

 **… _._**

"I think that's the last of them."

Itachi grunted in response and mentally debated whether he should check the warrior at his feet. He was covered in blood and gunk and probably. The blood from several of his cloud brethren coated the steel of his own katana. It made the blade so red that it was almost black. The Uchiha looked away from the gruesome reminder of death and focused on the aftermath of the battle that surrounded him. Scattered about were the warriors from the cloud either in chains or dead. His own men doubled their number, pulling fallen bodies away to be picked clean of weapons and valuables. Though the carnage was a stark sight for such a lush valley, it could have been worse.

The Cloud could have happened upon the Uchiha encampment and ambushed them.

More of their own warriors could have been wounded or killed.

They'd likely gained important intel from the Cloud camp and there was no doubt that their prisoners would begin singing soon. For all intents and purposes this would be marked as a success and yet it wasn't….

He'd allowed a retreat.

Such mercy would have infuriated his father.

"You did well Itachi-kun." Shisui said, snapping the Uchiha out of his thoughts with a cheerful clap on his back. "Not a single one of the recruits turned tail. Your father would have been pleased."

"I'm sure." Itachi snorted.

There were always a few deserters during the chaos of battle. Men, especially those as green and inexperienced as his, did not always act as bravely on the battlefield as they did during training. It was good to know he did not need to spend time chasing them down for their disloyalty. Not yet anyway. When men felt as if they were on the winning side they stood firm. He could only hope that fate would remain in his favor.

"You made me worry earlier when _you_ weren't the one leading them through the valley." Shisui said with a sigh.

And there it was. Shisui always worried even when they were successful.

"I saw an opportunity and took it." Itachi replied with a shrug.

"You're going to give me a heart attack one day. Did you find anything useful in the camp?" Shisui asked and Itachi shrugged.

"Perhaps. I haven't had a chance to read anything yet but the men retrieved several scrolls of interest."

His cousin nodded pensively and looked around the valley. The sight of Shisui being thoughtful about anything made the hair on the back of his neck stand on end. There was nothing more infallible than his intuition.

"You know something." Itachi said evenly and Shisui frowned slightly.

"I don't _know_ anything but I do have my suspicions. This," he said, gesturing out over the battlefield.

"Was too easy. When we fought Cloud forces on the last campaign, they were worthy combatants. Only the treaty of succession to Konoha brought them to heel and even that seems to have not worked."

"Thanks in no small part to my actions."

"Well, I didn't want to put it _that_ way."

It was his fault. He'd slit the throat of the top ranking official in the Cloud at that treaty signing. The ink wasn't even dry before the defeated warrior and his men were disposed of. It had been on his father's orders. The man _had_ tried to kill his father at the time. But still…he didn't have to die. None of them had to die.

' _You may kill me but once my people hear of my death your blood will run thick through the streets and your names will be erased from the records of history. The mighty Uchiha swine will die, your honor forgotten!'_

Yuroichi. How could he have forgotten the words of a man willing to risk his life for his nation?

"The people have heard." Itachi mumbled, the puzzle pieces finally clicking together in his mind. "This is a mess of our own making."

He shouldn't have allowed a retreat. The survivors would no doubt send word their main force. Part of the reason why this battle had seen so few casualties on their side was the element of surprise. The Cloud did not know exactly where they were.

And now they do.

His father would have surely called him a fool.

This could work in their favor. Maybe…maybe if they knew there were options other than death this would not turn into a war.

"I will go investigate the damage to the village. Send word to the shogunate and emperor about what happened here. Then-"

"Return to the District." Shisui finished. "This will not reach that far north Itachi-kun. Are you sure you do not need me more here?"

He would always need Shisui. However, he wouldn't sleep well knowing his family was exposed. The worst thing to happen would be to return to the District only to find their heads mounted on pikes.

"Alright then." Shisui said finally, no longer wishing to protest and for that Itachi was grateful.

He was about to say as much but the look on Shisui's face alarmed him. He barely had a chance to turn around before he found himself flat on his back and his breath blown from his lungs. Itachi pushed himself up despite the pain of the push to find. Shisui doubled over where he had just stood with a bloody dagger in his shoulder. He watched horrified as the man he'd thought to be dead, clutched the blade with all of his might and twisted.

 **… _._**

 _ **The Sixteenth Summer of the Suzume**_

 _ **Uchiha Encampment**_

 **… _._**

They say that fighting changes a person irrevocably. After the battle in the valley had been won, Hanabi was positive that she would never be the same again. Her blood still felt as if it were rushing through her body. Her fingers itched the grip her bow and it felt as if her arrows were still tucked between her fingers. Her pinky finger felt lost without a second arrow ready to be shot. What was this feeling?

Anxiety?

Fear?

Excitement?

She didn't have a clue what to call it but the other men indulged in the experience. There were very few men injured in the fight from their side. The same could not be said for the enemy. Those who met an unfortunate fate were left to rot in the valley until tomorrow. Anyone who did not meet the end of a sword was locked away in chains and carted off. From way up on the mountainside, she hadn't been able to make out faces. Anyone in a heavy grey yukata was an enemy. Period. As they'd been marched past her in chain however she could make out their faces. Some were old and battle-hardened. Their skin was leathery, wrinkled by the wind and sun. others were young…younger than she was.

She was grateful that she did not have to guard the prisoners and instead was tasked with helping Moegi in the medical tent. While their side did not take many casualties there were still men that had dislocated their shoulders and other minor lacerations. She wasn't much help on the medical front and found it best to stay out of Moegi and the Doctor's way. She mostly fetched fresh water when they needed it, washed bloody bandages, and whatever other menial task needed to be dealt with. It was good for her to keep busy. If she didn't she was positive that her body would spontaneously combust. Would she always feel like this after a battle?

Being so close to death…witnessing men fall from her arrow…

"Hyuuga." Moegi called, snapping her from her thoughts. The girl in question stopped winding a newly cleaned roll of bandages around her hand and handed them to Hanabi. "Take these to the Commander's tent. Oh and this too."

Hanabi eyed the basket of ointments and creams skeptically. No harm had come to the Commander during the battle, at least none that she knew of. Their men would not be so jovial if misfortune had befallen the leader. Moegi noted her skepticism but pushed the basket into her possession anyway.

"The Commander never comes to have himself seen. He's probably not seriously hurt but infection and dysentery will kill that man long before a sword does."

"Fine. Fine." Hanabi conceded and took the basket. The work that needed to be done I the medical tent was dwindling anyway as the night drew on.

Unhurriedly she made her way out of the tent and through the encampment. Her comrades were all gathered around a large bonfire, recounting their feats for the day as Cloud nation flags burned. Even Udon had shed his usual cowardice as he was prodded by the older men to share his experience. Hanabi smirked as she watched him stutter through it, an unmistakable look of discovery in his eyes. He could fight. He was going to live to see another day. The feeling was bittersweet.

Sighing, Hanabi weaved her way through the multiple bonfires until she made it to the edge of the encampment. The light of the camp didn't reach this far but the black blanket of the night was pierced by a dim glow from the Commander's tent. She hadn't spoken to Itachi since her punishment. Surely he had forgotten all about her infraction but she hadn't. Perhaps it was the Hyuuga in her but she would never forget a slight of unfairness no matter how small.

"Just act like normal." Hanabi mumbled to herself but unconsciously her grip on the basket tightened.

Itachi had just been through the same battle she had. She had to do her best to set aside her ill feelings if he was hurt. _Especially_ if he was hurt. Hinata would not appreciate her husband returning home missing an arm because he'd allowed an infection to take hold. She had seen sixteen summers. She was mature. She could set aside her irritation. With a straight back and a not so small chip on her shoulder, Hanabi approached the solitary tent.

Awkwardly she cleared her throat.

"Commander." She said but there was no response. "Commander…it's me, ah um Hyuuga."

Silence.

"Commander?"

If the man was bleeding out in his tent she was going to be highly pissed-

"I'm not the Commander but will a General suffice?" a familiar voice asked and the front flap of the tent opened to reveal a bedraggled Shisui. "If you're looking for Itachi-kun he's with the prisoners."

Hanabi took a step back.

"Oh, I-"

"Are these fresh? Bring it in here."

Shisui didn't even wait for her to respond. He let the flap to the tent fall and retreated, likely back to bed. Was this alright? She was supposed to be bringing these to the Commander not Shisui but technically this was the right tent. Reluctantly she walked into the tent, mildly surprised by the sparse interior. She'd expected the Commander's tent to be more extravagant than the average warrior's. He was staying alone after all. However, outside of the standard issue bedroll, there wasn't much to note. Just a chest locked tight and a low lying table with a pitcher of water and glass. Well, she _assumed_ it was water. If she'd learned anything over the last few hours, any clear liquid was suspect.

She did not have time to inspect the pitcher's contents further before Shisui loosened the upper half of his navy yukata and slipped his arms out.

"W-w-what are you doing?" Hanabi stammered, immediately averting her gaze to be anywhere else except _him._

It wasn't that she was naive to the male body. She was surrounded by an entire myriad of undress every day. It was the fact that she was _alone,_ in a _tent._ Coming from a life where she was locked within the inner ring of the compound being alone with a man that wasn't family wasn't something that one did. Her father would flip. The General, however, did not notice her discomfort with the situation. In fact, a distracted grunt as he lowered himself to the ground told her that he wasn't paying her any attention at all.

"Are you going to continue to stare at the wall or can I have the basket now?"

Hanabi blushed and swallowed her embarrassment. She was being absolutely ridiculous. Now thoroughly self-chastised, she crossed the short distance to the table and set the basket down in front of Shisui. He gave her a grateful nod before rifling through the various supplies that Moegi had sent.

"Are you hurt?" she asked even though the question sounded stupid.

He'd been with her the entire time on that mountain. The archers had suffered no injuries. Shisui smirked and turned his back to her at an angle to reveal a bandaged shoulder, a bright red plume of blood seeping through. When he nonchalantly undid the knot that held the bandages together, the white canvas fell away to reveal a stab to his shoulder. It looked shallow and previously cleaned but that didn't relieve any of her worries.

"What- how?" she gasped as she took in the injury.

"Never turn your back on a man, even when you think he's dead. _Especially_ when you think he's dead." Shisui replied simply.

Hanabi frowned and looked away from his back. Did he always have to be so strange and cryptic? With a huff, she grabbed a clean cloth from the basket and sniffed the pitcher. It most definitely was not water. Shisui glanced over his shoulder at her and raised a curious brow.

"What are you doing Hyuuga?" he asked as she wet the cloth.

The strong smell of sake filled the room.

"You can't clean this properly on your own."

"I've managed just fine in the past-" he hissed as the cold cloth made contact with his skin. "That stings!"

Hanabi winced. It probably hurt like hell but she knew she was doing her task properly. She'd watched Moegi and the doctor clean wounds with sake all evening. As thoroughly as she could, she wiped away the dried blood from his shoulder. Although it was a shallow wound it was not as bad as it should have been. As she worked, Shisui flipped over one of the cups on the table and poured himself a glass of sake.

"Stop moving, you'll reopen your wound." Hanabi admonished. She wasn't sure if this was true but she'd heard the doctor utter this phrase more times that she could count that evening.

"You and Itachi have the worst bedside manner." Shisui replied as he raised his cup to his lips. "Much too serious."

' _And you are much too strange_.' Hanabi thought with a roll of her eyes.

She held her retort. It would not do to insult an injured man. She continued her work in silence, wrapping his shoulder and upper torso with clean bandages as she'd watched Moegi do. It was not as neatly done as it could be but she was proud of herself.

"There." She sighed, admiring her own work.

"You seem to be holding up well." Shisui chuckled.

"What do you mean? Am I not supposed to?"

Hanabi moved from behind him to sit at the table. He upturned the second saucer on the table and poured the pungent sake inside. She scrunched her nose at the odor. If she didn't smell sake again for the rest of her life it would be too soon. He was her superior however so when he pushed the small white saucer towards her she accepted it.

"Have you never had sake?" Shisui asked, noting her reluctance to drink as he poured another serving for himself.

She'd had sake before. The first and only time at been at her wedding. It had been difficult to sit straight with her heavy headpiece and drink at the same time. Hanabi shook her head of the memory and brought the saucer to her lips. Now was not the time for such thoughts. She downed the contents of the saucer in one go and immediately regretted her actions. It burned so much!

"There we go!" Shisui cheered as she sputtered and coughed.

She narrowed her eyes as he poured more.

"Is it supposed to burn so much?"

"Unfortunately for you we don't have the fancy stuff Hyuugas are accustomed to."

Hanabi picked up her saucer and frowned. She didn't need 'fancy stuff'. Shisui watched her with a look of mirth in his eyes as she took a small sip. It didn't burn like the first time but the taste was still horrible.

"You'll get used to it after a while."

"I'm not sure I want to."

"No…if you do you'll end up like the rest of them." Shisui smirked and took a sip from his saucer.

"Speaking of which, why aren't you out there with your comrades? A successful battle is always a cause for celebration."

Hanabi shrugged her shoulders and lowered her gaze to the table. It wasn't that she didn't _want_ to spend time around the fire. Truth be told she actually longed to listen to the stories of warriors that she'd been told as a little girl. It was different this time. Those tales no longer held the same romantic appeal as before. They were real…

"It is normal to feel conflicted after your first battle. I remember my first like it was yesterday." Shisui said. "I was so afraid of dying that I swung my sword around so much it was a wonder that I didn't hurt myself in the process. I managed to take out at least eight men before the other side recalled their troops and retreated. The Commander, Itachi's father, does not accept cowardice. He went straight through the enemy line and decapitated the first official still mounted. The rest of our men followed him fiercely. And then…"

"And then?" Hanabi questioned curiously, looking up from the table. Shisui rubbed his chin and smiled sheepishly.

"I threw up."

Hanabi stared at him wide-eyed. He said it so simply without an ounce of shame.

"No one starts out as an amazing warrior you know and seeing that level of brutality was not what I expected when I was your age." Shisui teased. "The former Commander did not take prisoners. He believed that there were only two outcomes with the enemy. Either stay out of the way, keep to your farm and mind your own business, or die. There was no mercy under him."

' _No mercy?_ '

Hanabi shuddered to imagine how much worse the valley would have looked if that were the case. When the enemy had retreated, Itachi had not charged in on a beheading campaign. Instead, he allowed them to run and all those incapable of doing so were taken captive. Shisui sighed pensively as he took another sip of his sake.

"The Commander would have a lot to say about Itachi-kun's methods. Retreat only means that they live to fight another day."

"It doesn't have to." Hanabi countered. "There have to be other ways to solve disputes than killing each other until the last man is left standing. "

Shisui smiled at her response.

"Peace by other means. I hope you're right Hyuuga." He said softly. "In any case, go on and enjoy the company of others more energetic than this injured old man."

"You're far from old Shisui." She smiled and stood up.

The General was strange but definitely not old.

As she turned to leave the front flap opened to reveal the owner of the tent. She froze in place under the Commander's haggard gaze. He stood rigid as if ready to fight at a moment's notice and clearly unscathed from the day's battle. However, in his hands he held a basket similar to the one she'd brought in filled with fresh bandages and ointments from the medical tent. All of the residual anger she held for his previous punishment evaporate and she took in his small gesture of kindness. Maybe, somewhere deep down, he was the sweet husband Hinata had written about.

"What are you doing here?" he asked, his voice gruff as his eyes shifted from her to the basket of supplies on the table.

Somewhere deep _deep_ down.

"Hyuuga beat you to the punch Itachi-kun." Shisui teased, cutting through the tension in the tent. "Did a pretty good job too."

Itachi blinked, a mild look of surprise crossing his features. Hanabi looked away and crossed her arms. He didn't have to look so surprised. The Commander cleared his throat and stepped further into the tent.

"About the other day… Next time you have a problem do not take matters into your own hands. Come to me directly. " He said firmly and this time it was her own turn to feel shocked.

Was this his way of apologizing?

"Also, for helping Shisui, thank you."

He sounded…grateful and sincere. It was _embarrassing._

"Don't mention it." She mumbled with a bowed head and shuffled awkwardly out of the tent.

As the flap closed behind her she heard the unmistakable laugh of the General.

"I think you scared the poor thing Itachi-kun. You need to work on not looking so scary all the time!"

Hanabi shook her head and walked away from the tent. He wasn't scary. He was _unnerving_. What kind of Commander thanked his subordinates anyway?

' _Itachi-kun is many things but he is not terrible.'_

No…Hanabi sighed inwardly. He wasn't terrible. He certainly wasn't his father if Shisui's story was to be believed. As the lone tent receded behind her, she made her way back towards the medical tent. She'd been gone for long enough. Moegi was probably pissed…

"Hey Hyuuga!" a familiar voice called from one of the bonfires.

She turned to find Haru waving at her with a big smile on his face. He was surrounded by the other archers who all looked equal amounts tired and happy.

"Where have you been all night?" one shouted with a slightly accusatory tone.

"Don't tell me you're heading to sleep already?"

Hanabi snorted, slightly insulted by their assumptions in her lack of stamina. Maybe it was the sake she'd drank finally getting to her head but a second wind of energy caught in her bloodstream.

There was no way she was calling it a night. The archers cheered jubilantly when she marched over to join them. As soon as she got close a small cup was pushed into her hand and the laughter of the group washed over her. She couldn't help but smile in return and for the first time since joining the Uchiha forces, she relaxed. A warm feeling of comradery settled into the pit of her belly. Of course, that _was_ the sake talking but it felt right.

It wasn't until she was slumped against Haru and watching the embers crackle in the fire that she was able to put a name to the feeling.

 _Alive_.

 _ **To be continued….**_

 **Story Rec Corner**

 _Straw Saga: a delightfully funny story to delve into. Not many stories make me actually laugh (like legit laugh none of this lol shit) so this is a definite fav._

 _Lavender Memories: a nice 'Hinata amnesia story'. Its one of those saccharine stories that doesn't rot your teeth._

 **CCNote** **: So those are my shout outs. If you want your fic recommended (completed or ongoing) just send me a PM and I'll check it out.**


	19. Chapter 19

**CCNote: Thank you so freaking much to everyone who has been reading up to this point. I am sorry for the delay. Right here and now I'm going to be honest. I have not been okay. My (now ex) fiancé and I broke up and I just didn't have the motivation to get out of bed let alone write for a while. It's hard to write about love or anything of the sort when your heart has been broken. **

**Anyway, the amazing group of expat friends that I have and an impulse ticket to Paris (and probably Sri Lanka) in the spring have at least made me not feel like a complete loser. Plus my students always put a smile on my face no matter how sour I feel on the inside. So, slowly but surely I've been getting back to the old me. Updates will be slower. Some days I'm okay. Others I'm not. I'm not pushing myself. So I will update when I can and hopefully one day I'll be back to posting once a week.**

 *****Also to the person impersonating Mel in the Mitten, I'm glad you like this story but please don't impersonate other users. It's not a nice thing to do and Mel is one of my favorite reviewers (since her analysis are always close to being right). I knew you were an imposter instantly. In regards to the pace of my updates, even with this brief hiatus I still update more than the average user. So I ask for your patience, please. In return I promise to continue delivering my best content for you.*****

 **ANYWAY! Excuse all mistakes, I'm super rusty. Please enjoy and don't forget to leave a review!**

 _Toward those short trees_

 _We saw a hawk descending_

 _On a day in summer_

 ** _Masaoka Shiki_**

 **Barren**

 _ **The Twentieth Summer of the Hato**_

 _ **Uchiha Shiro- West Wing**_

 _ **...**_

"You should be in bed Hinata."

The young Uchiha matriarch smiled at her attendant's gentle reminder and nodded absently. Just a few feet away, her other attendant Sakura had long since fallen asleep on the plush red chaise.

"I should, shouldn't I?"

Temari rolled her eyes and saddled up next to her mistress in the window seat. The raven sighed and continued to stare out at the perfectly clear night sky. Was it just her imagination or was the moon exceptionally bright this evening?

"This restlessness wouldn't have anything to do with the arrival of that warrior would it?" Temari asked.

Hinata blushed, unable to speak out of fear of confirming where her hopes lied.

"I'm sure he will wake up soon. When he does he will have word on Uchiha-sama. Is that why you can't sleep?"

Hinata's blush deepened at the perceptive observation. She hadn't heard anything from Itachi since the day he'd assembled the Uchiha forces. This messenger could be bringing word of his return. With the hope of Itachi's impending arrival came a swirl of confusing emotions. She would finally get to know the man that she'd married and this time...

This time she would not be afraid.

"That girl." Temari grumbled, snapping Hinata from her thoughts. "I swear she forgets herself."

Hinata opened to mouth to ask what Temari was talking about but she soon had her answer. From their window seat, they could see Ino rush from one end of the courtyard to the other. The blonde girl was not adept at being sneaky and the brightness of the moon didn't lend her any favors.

"I thought she was in the kitchen's for tea?" Hinata said as they watched Ino slide open the courtyard's door and enter the adjacent wing.

Temari scoffed and crossed her arms disapprovingly over her chest.

"It doesn't take over an hour to get tea."

"Then what was she doing?"

"Take a wild guess."

Hinata stared blankly at her attendant and the blonde's eyes widened slightly.

"You do know what men and women do when they are alone don't you?" she asked suspiciously.

"What? I mean yes! Yes! O-of course I do!" Hinata stammered although her flustered answer gave Temari no visible relief.

Fortunately, she didn't have to explain since Ino had slipped into the room. Unfortunately for her tardy attendant she was not alone as she'd expected to be.

"Oh!" she squeaked, surprised to find that two-thirds of the chamber's occupants were awake and staring at her. "Good...um good evening."

She tried to discreetly tuck some of her messy hair behind her ear. Not only was her normally slick platinum locks unkempt but her navy yukata was wrinkled and her face thoroughly flushed. There was also a look in her eyes that Hinata couldn't identify. It was greater than excitement or happiness. It was wild and agreed with her well.

Temari, on the other hand, bristled at Ino's entrance and swiftly crossed the room. She then tugged on the shoulder of Ino's rumpled yukata, exposing the lack of an underlayer and creamy skin marred by fresh bruises. Hinata gasped.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Ino demanded as she jerked away from Temari.

"I could very well ask you the same thing." Temari snapped back.

"What I do with my time is none of your business."

"It is when your actions could jeopardize us all."

"And how would I possibly do that?" Ino hissed, her eyes narrowing menacingly. Temari hesitated for a moment but didn't back down.

"You don't even know him or what he is capable of."

"I know that he loves me!"

A loud smack reverberated through the room, sending an alarmed Hinata to her feet and Ino clutching her injured cheek.

"Love?! Don't make me laugh." Temari scoffed incredulously. "When word gets out that the new slaves are open for business the looks the Cook gives you will turn into more. The guards will make their rounds more frequently and catch you alone more often than you'd like. One day the propositions will turn into actions and you will look back on this day and realize how stupid you are."

"Ino." Sakura interrupted groggily but the two other attendants ignored her in favor of glaring at one another. "Why...why are you holding your face? Are you hurt?"

Ino blinked back her unshed tears at Temari's harsh words before following Sakura's pointed gaze to her shoulder. Sheepishly she pulled the navy silk over her exposed skin with a smile.

"Sai would never hurt me." she said firmly and Temari sucked in her teeth.

"Kami you're an idiot." she growled and with a huff, she left the room.

"What's with her?" Sakura asked.

"She's just jealous and bitter."

Though Ino said it so casually, Sakura and Hinata exchanged concerned looks. That didn't sound like the Temari they knew.

"She just can't stand to see anyone happy."

"So..."Sakura began cautiously as she rubbed the last of her sleep from her eyes.

"You...and Sai..."

At this redirection, all of Ino's anger at Temari disappeared and a smile emerged. Sakura wrinkled her nose.

"He's a little weird don't you think?"

"He's not weird. He's an artist."

"Whatever. So what was it like?"

"It?"

"You know...that."

"Oh that. Well, a lady should never kiss and tell."

"Kami, you're being annoying."

"And you're being nosy!"

Hinata smiled at the bickering pair but it didn't quite reach her eyes. Ino had experienced something in only a few days time that she'd failed to do. She'd been too afraid to lie with her husband and as a result, there was no heir for the Uchiha. At least not until he returned.

If he returned.

Hinata shook her head of the negative thought. Itachi would come back. He would return to the District and lead the clan as was his birthright...  
And...if she dared to hope... Hanabi would be with him.

"Hinata, what was it like for you?" Sakura asked, twirling a lock of pink hair around her finger.

"Don't ask her something like that!" Ino chided but she'd lost all of her bite.

Both girls looked at Hinata expectantly but she had nothing to offer them. Nothing that wasn't a lie. Ino sighed, disappointed at her mistress' lack of an answer while Sakura pouted. The pinkette leaned back lazily into the chaise with a defeated look.

"Don't be like that Sakura." Ino teased playfully as she bounded over to the plush chair.

"There will be plenty of young, handsome Uchihas to take your pick from when Uchiha-sama returns. Besides you could always practice with our resident recluse."

"Ino!"

"Recluse?" Hinata blinked and her attendants exchanged guilty looks.

"Well..."Ino hedged, pretending to be immensely interested with a loose thread on her sleeve. "Ya know...Sasuke. I don't get why she likes him but she does."

"You...like Sasuke?" Hinata said slowly.

She'd thought that Sakura and Ino just found him nice to look at, which he was when he didn't have an attitude. However, Ino had quickly moved on from her admiration. Sakura had not. The girl in question turned a vibrate shade of pink to match her hair and shoved Ino with her foot.

"You have no room to talk. Sai is an utter and complete weirdo."

"You're just jealous."

"Ha! What could I possibly be jealous of?"

"Sai is super smart and creative and funny."

"Sasuke is all of those things too."

"Yea right? When have you ever heard him crack a joke or even smile?"

The two continued their back and forth but Hinata slipped off of the window seat to leave the room. She really didn't want to be caught between the two of them as they debated the merits of the men that had caught their fancy. At least Ino's affection was reciprocated with Sai. As much as she wanted to believe otherwise, Hinata doubted that Sakura would share in the same fate. Still, it was not unheard of for those with higher status to have affairs with their staff.

Sighing, Hinata left the room and traversed the quiet corridors of the west wing. There was no point in staying in her room when she felt so much restless energy. Without much thought, her feet brought her to the warrior's room and she paused at the door. It was likely that the man was still asleep and would be for a few more hours at least. Still...she wanted to be there when he woke...

...

 _ **The Twenty-first Summer of the Taka**_

 _ **Uchiha Shiro- West Wing**_

 _ **...**_

The entire Shiro was silent as it was bathed in the pale light of the full moon. Its rays shone brightly through the guest room window, making the hardened warrior in the bed appear smaller and frail. Sasuke knew he was anything but. He had to be to have made it to the District alone.

Sasuke sighed and looked away from the man to scan his paltry belongings for the umpteenth time. Outside of a standard issued katana, the man possessed nothing but the clothing he already wore. The only article of distinction was the black mask that covered the lower half of his face.

Where had he come from?

Why would he have traveled so recklessly alone?

Most importantly, would he survive the night?

Their doctor had explained he was suffering from severe dehydration after a brief evaluation. The guards that had brought him in also said that his mount had endured a similar state with foam falling from its mouth before it collapsed at the gate. After trying to cool the overheated man off they did their best to give him trickles of water through a glass tube down his throat every few hours.

If they were lucky he would wake.

If they weren't...

Sasuke did not want to think about that possibility. He had to have hope that the man would recover. He clearly had an important message about Itachi and their troops since he only word he'd been able to utter was his title. That three syllable word made his blood run cold as soon as he heard it. It filled him with fear that something horrible had happened to his brother. No...nothing had happened to Itachi. It would take a force stronger than the Gods to defeat his brother. He wasn't called a prodigy for nothing. No...Itachi was fine. He was fine.

Itachi.

"Sasuke." a soft voice called from the door.

The Uchiha turned his head in the direction of the intrusion to find Hinata staring sheepishly at him from the doorway. He'd been so preoccupied with his own worries that he hadn't heard the door slide open. Then again, the door probably hadn't made a noise. His mother had trained the already quiet girl into a rather graceful woman. She was meant to be seen not heard, a jewel for the Uchiha patriarch as Mikoto had once been.

He watched as she silently glided into the room. She'd shed her typical attire for the day and now wore a simple silver yukata and her hair was left unbound down her back. As simple as she looked tonight, it was far and away prettier than she'd been when her attendants had dressed her up for their portrait.

"Has he woken up at any point?" Hinata asked, her soft voice barely above a whisper.

Sasuke shook his head but she didn't appear disappointed by the news. Instead, she meekly nodded and came to sit next to him, carefully tucking her legs beneath her as she did so. The side of her arm brushing against him. The small huff she let out as she tried to get comfortable. The smell of the perfumes she used in her bath. All of it made him tense.

"You should be asleep." Sasuke said, moving away ever so slightly so that she didn't touch him.

"There's no way I could sleep tonight." she replied.

Sasuke looked away from her, a similar feeling had overtaken him as well. It would be next to impossible for him to sleep. This man was his-their only link to Itachi. His mere existence was odd though. The man was unlike any of the other Uchiha's that resided within the District with his striking silver hair.

He had to belong to a lesser clan but as much as he tried to rack his memory, he had no knowledge of any that possessed such a hair color. The Akamichi were known for their rotund frames and the Hyuuga for their pupilless eyes... No clan in the land of fire possessed silver hair. Despite the conundrum he presented, for Itachi to send this man with a message for them proved his trustworthiness. When he regained consciousness there was so much Sasuke wanted to ask him.

Where was Itachi?

Had they found his father?

When would they come back?

Suddenly a warm hand covered his own that had unconsciously become a fist on his thigh. Her thumb gently rubbed a small circle over his knuckles and a bit of the tension he felt slipped away.

"Itachi will return soon." Hinata whispered. "I bet that he and Uchiha-sama will be back before fall."

Sasuke slipped his hand out from underneath hers. He did not want or need her reassurances. What did she know anyway?

"You shouldn't speak on things you know nothing about." he grumbled without thinking but once the words were spoken they couldn't be taken back.

Hinata's pale eyes widened at his statement and she fell into her old nervous habit of biting her lower lip.

"I...I know enough."

"What kind of weapon does Itachi prefer?" Sasuke asked.

Her stubborn optimism and naiveté were bothersome.

"Well...I..."

"What does he like to do in his free time?"

"I don't know-"

"What is his favorite food?"

"He-"

"You don't know anything about him and yet you are so sure that he will be back. You sound like a child."

What right did she have to say anything about Itachi? She hadn't been around him long enough to learn anything more than how to spread her legs for him...

"He likes sweets." Hinata whispered, the statement catching him off guard. "I...I know that he likes dango and would rather not fight and...I know that he will do his best to return. We shouldn't doubt him."

"Naive woman." Sasuke mumbled under his breath indignantly though he was cowed slightly by her words.

Even though her eternal optimism was annoying, he shouldn't have snapped at her the way he had. His mother certainly would have had a thing or two to say about it were she around. Still, he wouldn't apologize because he wasn't wrong. Outside of a random observation of his brother's sweet tooth, she had no idea what kind of man he really was.

And...

'Do not raise a weapon to me unless you are prepared to kill me.'

Neither did he...

... _Sasuke scowled at his muddled reflection in the river. He had no idea how long he'd been sitting by the river but the sky had changed from blue to black. If he waited just a few more hours it would turn pink. It was likely that he would stay out here that long since he had no desire to return to the Shiro, especially not after making a fool of himself in front of everyone._

 _In front of Itachi's generals._

 _I_ _n front of Hinata._

 _He wasn't bad with a blade but she had been a distraction. If she hadn't interrupted maybe Itachi would have taken him more seriously. He wouldn't have just stood there and allowed him to strike without doing anything right?_

 ** _'Do not raise a weapon to me unless you are prepared to kill me.'_**

 _Why would he say something like that anyway?_

 _"Otoutou." a deep voice said smoothly, the sound of river rocks crunching under their feet as they approach. Sasuke scoffed but didn't turn around._

 _"You haven't called me that in years **Aniki**. Did Kaa-san send you to collect me?"_  
 _Itachi moved to stand by his side though Sasuke still refused to look at him._

 _"No, she did not. So...care to explain why you are out here?"_

 _"Do I have to report my every move to you?"_

 _"Your tongue is as sharp as ever isn't it?"_

 _Sasuke rolled his eyes and absently kicked a rock near his foot. he did not feel like listening to Itachi and his retorts at the moment._

 _"If you don't want anything then I suggest you return to wife and leave me in peace."_

 _"Speaking of Hinata..." Itachi started and Sasuke felt himself tense. "She says that you feel...neglected by myself and father-"_

 _"_ _Hn. I am not a child anymore. I do not need you for my entertainment." Sasuke scoffed, offended that Hinata had seen fit to make assumptions even though her thinking wasn't far from the mark._

 _"No, you are not a child anymore. To be honest it's hard to see you growing up and not being around to witness the changes."_

 _"Then take me with you when you leave. You can watch me all you want then."_

 _"Sasuke...you know I can't do that."_

 _The younger Uchiha rolled his eyes. It was always the same excuses when it came to Itachi. He couldn't. He wouldn't. Whatever he said after those two words were meaningless._

 _"Sasuke one of these days you will want what I do."_

 _"And what could that be?"_

 _Itachi already had everything, what more could he want?_

 _H_ _onor?_

 _Gold?_

 _The elder paused and slowly turned away from the riverbank._

 _"Come, let's go find Shisui. Tonight we will teach you how to drink."_

 _Sasuke blinked, surprised by his brother's abrupt. His jab, however, brushed that momentary curiosity aside._

 _"I already know how to drink."_

 _"Ah but you've never had a drink with your Aniki. Come, humor me."_

...  
When Sasuke awoke the next morning to the soft light of the false dawn he was met with a strange warmth slumped against him. It was too humid for this. He let out a sleepy groan and rubbed his eyes with his free hand. When had he fallen asleep? His entire body felt stiff from being in one position for too long and urged him to move. However, when he tried, the warmth by his side grumbled in protest. His eyes flew open immediately at the sound and he turned his head to find an unconscious Hinata nestled into his side.

What the hell was she still doing here? Why hadn't her servants come to collect her? Grunting, he slipped away from her carefully so as not to wake her. Her head lolled back against the wall and her brow scrunched up in dissatisfaction. If she'd looked like jewel last night, she was now more of a child now with her mouth parted slightly and a thin trail of dried drool on her chin.

Sasuke frowned and inspected the shoulder she'd commandeered as a pillow. Sure enough, there was a small wet patch. This woman! He should leave her an change his clothing. The doctors and servants could deal with her when they found her. Thoroughly irritated, Sasuke stood to do just that but a small sigh escaped from her lips and stopped him in his tracks.

"Dammit." he grumbled and turned back to crouch and pick up the sleeping woman.

If he left her here and his brother was, in fact, returning to the District he would not take kindly to such neglect. he also didn't want to watch her clumsily drink tea later during breakfast due to sleeping improperly. He was only doing this out of guilt. Out of pity.

As carefully as he could, he picked the small woman up and found that she wasn't as light as she appeared. The curvaceous body he'd caught glimpses of in the hot spring had a weight to it. She'd grown a lot from the first time he'd seen her at seventeen. Now, she was soft in all of the right places and impossibly warm.

The feeling of her in his arms brought back a guilty rush he'd been trying to stamp out for the last few months.

Of the dreams he'd been having...

No, now was not the time for this. Pushing his not completely innocent observations aside, he adjusted his grip under her legs and behind her shoulders and glanced at the silver-haired man. The warrior was still sleeping deeply but hopefully by the time he returned from Hinata's chambers he would be awake.

Hopefully.

The walk to Hinata's rooms was thankfully uneventful. Any servants awake at this ungodly hour were busy in the kitchens in the east wing of the Shiro, leaving the hallways in the west abandoned. When he reached her door, it took a bit of maneuvering but he was able to open it without disturbing Hinata too much.

The anteroom was surprisingly dark since none of the curtains had been drawn. Sasuke rolled his eyes as he proceeded through the darkness to the other side of the room. If Hinata treated her servants as what they were instead of friends they would have come to collect her hours ago. It was for the best though that the room was empty. He didn't want to be forced to make small talk or look around at all of the changes that had been made. He'd spent countless hours in this room as a child with his mother. These rooms provided him with a different world from the rest of the clan. When it was just the two of them.

Here his mother laughed until she cried...

Here he was not the child his father couldn't stand to spare a glance towards...

Here he was-

"Sasuke."

The Uchiha tensed as Hinata mumbled his name in her sleep. She nuzzled into his chest, her fingers clutching the front of his yukata tightly. It was almost cute how she was trying to fight off her sleep but failing at it.

"Sasuke."

"Quiet." Sasuke replied.

Though the command was curt he couldn't hide his amusement. Hinata grumbled but complied, easily slipping back into a blissfully unconscious state. After crossing the anteroom he reached her bedroom where a futon was already laid out for her. When he laid her down she immediately rolled onto her stomach and buried her face into the pillows.

"You are the silliest woman." Sasuke scoffed, absently noting how empty his arms felt now without her.

It was a dull ache to feel her warmth against his chest. To hear her say his name again. Without thinking, he reached out to touch her but retracted his hand before he could indulge in his impulses. What the hell was wrong with him?

Disgusted with himself he turned away from her and quickly left the bedroom. He didn't even bother closing the sliding door behind him. He'd already fulfilled his familial obligations by taking her to bed. Doing anything more was unnecessary. Pushing all thoughts of Hinata aside, he left her chambers and headed back to the room of the unconscious warrior.

Once he reached the room, however, he was met with a rather ominous sight. All eight of the Uchiha elders were waiting for him. Sasuke eyed the ensemble warily. These eight men were well respected amongst their clan. They had survived countless battles and seen more of the world than anyone currently residing within the District. Now in their old age, they mainly advised the reigning patriarch and that send alarm bells off in his mind.

"Sasuke." the eldest of the group said with a slight bow of his head.

The young man bristled at the lack of an honorific given to his name. As the spare that had never seen combat and as such he was never recognized as someone to be respected by the elders.

"Has he woken up?" Sasuke asked and the elders collectively shook their heads.

"The appearance of this man is unsettling to say the least but that is not why we are here. If we could have but a moment of your time?"

Sasuke pressed his lips into a tight light. He didn't want to leave the warrior alone for longer than he already had but he couldn't deny a direct request from the elders. Reluctantly he nodded and without another word, followed the group towards the south wing.

...

 _ **The Twentieth Summer of the Hato**_

 _ **Uchiha Shiro- West Wing**_

 _ **...**_

When Hinata awoke she found herself slightly disoriented by the darkness and the fact that she was alone. She bit her bottom lip and clutched the sheets beneath her. What was she doing in her room? The last thing she remembered was falling asleep next to Sasuke as they waited for the warrior to wake up. Perhaps one of the girls had collected her and returned her to her room. Disoriented and tired she tried to piece everything together. How long had she been asleep? What time was it? Had the sun risen yet?

Begrudgingly she lifted her stiff body from her futon and shuffled over to one of the many windows. She then pushed part of the heavy tapestry aside and a little light flooded the room. A clear blue sky greeted her overhead with the promise of a day that felt hopeful. Hinata smiled though she pressed her fingers to her lips to hide her giddiness. Today was a new day. Hopefully, the warrior would be awake to see it. Excitement now bubbling in the pit of her stomach, Hinata pushed open the curtains further and lit up her bedroom.

She then moved to her wardrobe to find something to wear but then she froze. Temari, Sakura, and Ino usually helped her get dressed in the morning. She would not be able to tie an obi on her own.

 _'I should wait for them to come back.'_ she thought halfheartedly as she looked down at her yukata.

The light grey fabric was only a little crumpled from sleep. It was passable. She ran her fingers through her hair and winced at some of the tangles that she caught. She should wait for her attendants. She should. Hinata plopped back down on her futon in a huff and tried her best to wait. Five minutes turned into ten. Ten into fifteen. It was at the twenty-minute mark that she finally gave up any semblance of patience and scrambled out of her room, praying all the while that no one witnessed their matriarch in such a state of disarray.

It didn't take long for her to reach the warrior's room and the steady stream of servants gathered outside of it made her heart soar. One older woman caught sight of her approach out of the corner of her eye and frantically dipped into a low bow. The other servants noticed her strange behavior but then scrambled to bow when they saw the cause. Hinata blushed deeply, still unused to being treated with such reverence. Sheepishly she passed through the parted crowd and entered the room where the doctor was packing up his bag.

"Good morning Ishi-san." Hinata said and the man jumped a bit at the sound of her voice. He quickly scrambled to bow even deeper than the servants, his frazzled white hair falling around his face.

"Uchiha-sama! I did not expect to see you!" he said hurriedly before slowly rising from his bow.

"I just arrived" she replied, waving off his concerns as she turned to look at the man in the bed.

The man was awake though he appeared worse for wear since his silver hair was tousled from a fitful sleep and dark circles were under his eyes. Although he struggled to sit up on his own as her attention was directed at him, the corners of his tired eyes crinkled with amusement. At least she thought he was amused. It was hard to be sure when a mask covered the lower half of his face.

"You are a lot younger than I imagined Uchiha-sama. I wouldn't be wrong in assuming that you are the Commander's wife, not his mother." he said and Hinata blushed at his words.

"I am."

"I-I-I'll leave you two to talk." the doctor stammered and scurried out of the room.

When he shut the door behind him, Hinata nervously approached the side of the futon.

"I...I hope that you were able to rest well." she said as she lowered herself to take a seat. "I imagine the journey was difficult."

"The sun did not make things any easier." the man chuckled grimly. "I'm sure you're wondering why I'm here."

Hinata nodded quickly, her breath catching in her throat.

"How is Itachi?" she asked and the man shook his head.

"I'm afraid that I do not come with good news Uchiha-sama. For that, I must apologize in advance. Before I begin it would be best if I told both of you his message at once. Where is Sasuke?"

...

 _ **The Twenty-first Summer of the Taka**_

 _ **Uchiha Shiro- West Wing**_

 _ **...**_

"So...to what do I owe this honor of a meeting?" Sasuke asked the eldest of the eight men.

The white-haired man leaned forward on his cushion, his hand stiffly folded in his lap. Uchiha Sho was the most senior among them, the third son of his father's uncle. He was a man known for his prowess in battle as was not easily impressed. It had been said while Itachi was training that he was the only one to have gained the man's praise. Sasuke himself never bothered much with Sho growing up. He simply didn't have a need to and Sho had not shown any interest. At the moment, Sasuke wished that had remained the case.

"Your twenty-first summer is drawing to a close." Sho said flatly. "The time of traversing between the imperial palace must have borne some fruit. With so many beautiful flowers at your convenience, there must have been one to catch your eye."  
Sasuke raised an eyebrow at the man's speech, confused as to what he was trying to say. The seven other elders mumbled amongst themselves at his lack of understanding and shifted uncomfortably. Undeterred, Sho cleared his throat.

"Have you fathered a child during your visits to the Emperor?" he asked bluntly and the air pressure in the room dropped.

"No."

His answer was said without hesitation however it did nothing to ease the tension amongst his companions. If the disappointed looks of the elders were anything to go by, he'd made things worse. Sho cleared his throat again.

"As you know, the Uchiha line must be preserved at all costs. It is the duty of the spare to maintain diplomatic ties with our great emperor as well as other clans. However, in the case of the untimely demise of the heir, a spare would be called upon to continue the bloodline if no offspring have been produced."

"There has been no word of Itachi's defeat." Sasuke interrupted sharply.

Sho nodded sympathetically as did the rest of the elders. Their fake show of concern made bile rise to the back of his throat.

"We have faith in our new Commander. There has been no one like him in over a century to hold the title. However, we must ensure the continuation of the clan at all costs." Sho replied and the other elders began to add their own opinions to the mix.

"It has been nearly a season since he departed and his wife was not left with a child."

"We can't allow this to uncertainty to continue. I told you all that Hyuuga women are the least fertile among our allies. Why else do you think no one else put in a bid for the girls for so long? Yet you allowed Shisui to convince you otherwise."

"Her own mother died in childbirth that alone-"

"Enough." Sasuke snapped, slapping the table with an open palm.

He did not want to discuss his brother's lack of a child, especially not when he'd incidentally had spent the last few hours sleeping with his wife.

"Sasuke." Sho started, unbothered by the Uchiha's command. "The fact of the matter is that we need an heir-"

"I said enough. I will not sire a bastard just to ease your unfounded concerns."

"Hear us out. There are a few unpromised girls within the District that will come of age soon. If you were to have a child with any of them, Hinata-sama would take it in when it is born. It will become a ward of her and your brother with all of the rites of a firstborn intact. If she proves to remain barren in the months after Itachi returns, she will not have to bear the shame."

Sasuke stood up abruptly. He had no interest in bedding any woman after his first time was such a debacle. Even if he did have the inclination he would not give up his child to play pretend with Hinata and his brother. They were fools to think that he would go along with this!

"Or, if the gods forbid, the worst has befallen our Commander. In that case, as the new patriarch, you can return Hinata-sama to the Hyuuga where I am sure she will be happier with her own kind. Without a son, she is an Uchiha in name only." Sho continued as Sasuke made his way out of the room.

He shut the door behind him aggressively and stormed down the hall. How dare they think he would a party to their machinations and whims! How had his mother put up with them day in and day out? How had she dealt with everything?

With his father's abandonment?

With the shogunate's violation?

With...him...

Sasuke paused in the hallway outside of the warrior's room, the answer to all of his questions hitting him in the face. His mother...she hadn't dealt with any of it. She smiled and laughed and lied and hid. Then when it proved to be too much...

"Uchiha-san." a tired old voice croaked from only a few feet away. Sasuke broke from his thoughts and regarded the stooped old man with his battered medical bag in hand.

"The warrior. He's awake."

 _ **To be continued...**_

 _The wren_

 _Earns his living_

 _Noiselessly_

 ** _(Kobayashi Issa)_**

 **Story Rec Corner**

 _A Shinobi of Honor:_ _A gem of an AU story that will probably make you cry. Its very believable character wise. There are some plot holes but what story doesn't have those? *cough* me too *cough*_

 _Toska: An arranged marriage fic that is an inspiration of mine. I promise it's worth a read._

 _His Majesty Prefers Blue: This is a ZUTARA (Zuko x Katara) fic. I'm recommending it because if you want a long, quality read this right here is IT! 10/10 if you like SasuHina you'll love this story_


	20. Chapter 20

**CCNote: Thanks so much to everyone that reached out to me after the last chapter. Your kind words mean a lot to me! Since the school year has ended I have a TON of downtime to write. This chapter was _supposed_ to be District-centric but in order for things to make sense this one had to come first. I'll post a long District chapter quickly. A new chapter for 'Get Your Date' will be out by Monday! Yay!**  
 **ANYWAY! This story is rated M for a reason and the last scene in this chapter may be difficult to read for some. I recommend that you skip it if heavy topics like sexual assault and violence against women trigger bad memories/experiences for you. I won't judge you if you do. It makes me uncomfortable to write about it but it's necessary to round out the plot.**

 **As always p** **lease enjoy and don't forget to leave a REVIEW!**

 _The wren_

 _Earns his living_

 _Noiselessly_

 _ **(Kobayashi Issa)** _

**Finding a place**

 _ **The Sixteenth Summer of the Suzume**_

 _ **Uchiha Encampment**_

 _ **...**_

One foot in front of the other. Her heart pumped in time to the pace of her run and her lungs burned but in a good way. It was odd, and she would never admit it out loud, but she was starting to enjoy running. She especially enjoyed running with her squad mates who after their first battle no longer felt like strangers. They were comrades.

The Hyuuga looked over her shoulder at the fifteen members of Shisui's archers, eyes scanning each of their faces for signs of fatigue. Unfortunately, the fact that she could only see fifteen of them was a problem when there was supposed to be sixteen. Frowning she slowed down and allowed the pack to head on without her. Just to be sure she counted each body that passed and the number remained at fifteen.

Turning on her heel, Hanabi doubled back to find the missing member. It didn't take long to discover Haru crouched in the dirt behind a tree. His face was buried in his knees and the sound of heavy breathing was audible even at a distance.

"Haru?" Hanabi called out and the boy looked up at her with a violently red face. He still smiled despite his obvious fatigue.

"Oh! Hyuuga! What...what are you doing here?" he huffed.

Hanabi rolled her eyes and plopped down into the grass next to him. He really was a pathetic scrap of a man.

"I promise to run twice as many laps so go on without me." Haru wheezed.

"Stop talking. You'll only tire yourself out more." Hanabi snapped and Haru made himself even smaller. "Besides, I'm not leaving anyone behind so just forget about it."

"Hyuuga..."

"Haru..."

The boy looked guilty to keep her waiting but stayed silent. He wasn't the type she would expect to be fighting in a war. She would have suspected him to be too soft for bloodshed but looks were decieving.

' During my first battle I threw up.'

Hanabi snorted at the memory of Shisui's first battle. At least Haru was strong enough to not lose his breakfast. If the General was able to improve to become one of the most skilled warriors in the Uchiha force there was hope for Haru.

'And me too.' she thought as she leaned against the rough bark of the tree.

The thought of become as skilled as the General warmed her more than the summer sun and made her itch to get back to her training. She wasn't idle for long however before fifteen figures ran in a loose pack up to the tree.

"Are... are they really coming back?" Haru sputtered disbelievingly.  
Hanabi smirked and stood up.

"No one left behind remember?" she said and held out a hand to her fellow squad member. "Let's go."

...

 **The Twenty-seventh Summer of the Karasu**

 **Uchiha Encampment**

 **...**

"It looks as if we leave in the morning the weather will be on our side. We have been favored the last few days actually, let's hope this continues."

"Ever the optimist Shisui." Itachi said absently as he sealed the last of the scrolls with red wax and the Uchiha crest.

"There is no other way to live. Isn't that right men?"

Itachi looked up from his task to gauge the reactions of Shisui's handpicked team members Kakashi and Sota. Both men had been within the Uchiha ranks for as long as Itachi could remember. They'd fought side by side and survived to see more sunrises than they'd thought they would. There was no one else among their ranks that he would trust with such a mission. Shisui, as always, had chosen well. As far as his ever-present optimism, the men chose wisely to remain mute on the matter.

"Whatever." Shisui grumbled at their lack of response. "We should reach the capital in a few weeks if we ride hard. Once the Shogunate hears of an invasion he will not hesitate to send reinforcements."

Itachi nodded and handed the three scrolls to each of the men. One to Kakashi for the request of reinforcements, supplies, and a petition for a formal declaration of war from the Emperor. The second to Sota detailing his observations from their recent battle and their captives. The third and final scroll was given to Shisui detailing a transition of power he hoped he would never have to employ.

In the event of his death, the title of Commander would fall to Shisui, _not_ Sasuke. Hell would freeze over before he ever allowed his brother to die by an enemy's sword on the battlefield. Sasuke would be instated as the patriarch of the clan with all the responsibilities that entailed. He wished that he could keep such a burdensome fate from him but there was only so much he could do.

In regards to his wife... the scroll contained a signed annulment of their marriage in the event of his death and permission for her to remarry if she so chose. His mother would care for her no matter what, of that he knew for certain. Until the day she remarried into another clan she was to remain under the protection of the Uchiha. He hoped that his mother would find a good match for her. Of course, there was the option of sending her back to the Hyuuga but the murder of her father worried him. It would not be safe to send her into such a dangerous situation. His only regret was the fact that he was unable to reunite her with her sister.

 _Hanabi_

He could only hope that the girl was alright but he didn't have much hope. Clan disputes never fared well for women. Perhaps he should have demanded an audience with her that day. Perhaps he should have waited. Itachi shook his head of the thought. He couldn't change the past. His only option was to continue moving forward.

"Prepare to leave before dawn." he said to dismiss the men.

Kakashi and Sota rose from their seats, bowed, and left swiftly but Shisui remained. He then rested his chin on his fist and stared.

"Shisui." Itachi said evenly, ignoring his cousin's gaze in favor of unfurling one of the enemy maps he'd stolen. Shisui pushed the map away and sucked in his teeth.

"You've looked at that map a million time Itachi. It's not going to help you any more than it already has."

"Shisui-"

"You're planning to die aren't you?"

Shisui spoke so cavalierly as if he were asking if he wanted to go for a swim or not. It was almost unnerving how well his cousin knew him. He didn't even need to open the scroll he'd been given to know about his precautions...it was irritating. Itachi frowned and turned to the man who was attempting to bore a hole in his skull with his eyes alone.

"Well?"

"I'm not 'planning to die." Itachi said finally. "However my death is likely and therefore contingencies must be accounted for-"

"Bullshit. Come on Itachi." Shisui spat, suddenly jumping to his feet and dragging a surprised Itachi with him.

"Shisui-"

"Shut up and listen for once because this might be my only chance to say this. Follow me."

Itachi glared at his cousin. He hadn't been dragged around like this since he was young. He had way too many things on his plate and frolicking with Shisui was on the very bottom of that list. As they exited the tent the bright sunlight of the encampment made him squint and shade his eyes.

"Look at all of this." Shisui said with a wave of his hands towards the camp.

What was there to look at? Stiffly he followed Shisui into the fray of tents and warriors. There was the loud ringing of armor being fixed to the younger recruits and the bustling to an fro of weapons from one tent to another. Further in they found several groups of swordsmen sparring amongst themselves and on the outskirts of the tents the horses were being watered and fed. It wasn't until they reached the empty outpost of the archery area that Shisui finally stopped and turned back to him.

"All of this would crumble without you around to lead Itachi. Although I tried my best this camp was in shambles before you arrived. If you die the rest of us will go down with you. All of this will be gone."

All of this _would be_ gone.

He recalled the stench of the encampment when he first arrived. It was almost overwhelming how disorganized things had become without his father taking the reigns. Yet, with time and the reality of battle fresh in their minds his men were working well together. His men. No one else's.

"You will do well." Shisui smirked and gave him a rough pat on the back. "For once think positively Commander."

"Commander? Stick to Itachi-kun." Itachi smirked, shoving his cousin away. Shisui chuckled and wrapped an arm around his shoulders.

"You're going to live so don't put yourself at more risk than you have to alright? I will drag you from the depths of hell if you die."

"Maybe Sasuke has a point. Maybe you are annoying."

"Oh! My poor Sasu-bo! Do you think he misses me?"

Itachi felt a laugh bubble up into the back of his throat just imagining his brother's face when Shisui's shadow darkened the Shiro. There was very little more entertaining than Sasuke's embarrassment. Unfortunately, his joy died in his throat and his ever-present worry took its place.

"Protect him for me." Itachi whispered and Shisui nodded solemnly.

"With my life."

They both hoped it would never have to come to that.

"Hey Shisui!" a familiar voice called out, snapping the two Uchiha's to attention.

Just over the hill, the squad of archers spilled over excitedly with a certain Hyuuga leading the sprint. He reached the pair first, a spark of exuberance and admiration in his pale eyes as he approached. Teasingly he nudged Shisui in the ribs and smirked.

"Looks like someone has a fan." he whispered under his breath and Shisui removed his arm to nudge him back.

"Shut up."

"Is there a reason you never married?"

"Don't be ridiculous. Besides, I'll have you know that I do very well with the ladies thank you very much-"

"Ladies...and gentlemen."

"Itachi-"

Itachi was sure Shisui would have protested more but the Hyuuga was already within earshot much to his own amusement. The younger Uchiha had never seen his cousin turn as red as he was at this very moment. It was one of the most satisfying things that he was sure he'd never witness again. Shisui was not one to embarrass easily. Meanwhile, the Hyuuga bounded up to them unaware and all smiles. He was able to denign a quick bow in his direction out of respect but his eyes remained focused on Shisui.

"Shisui! How's your shoulder? Is it bothering you?" he asked curiously and Shisui blinked as he scratched the back of his head.

"No it feels fine...why?"

"Oh you're all red so I thought..." the Hyuuga pouted unconsciously and looked away. "Um...are you going to help us practice today?"

The Uchihas looked out at the group as they prepared their stations, mounting the targets and setting up their quivers. Since the weather was so calm not a gust of wind to be had, the afternoon proved to be ideal for shooting practice. Surreptitiously some of the other archers looked back at the trio, hoping that Shisui would say yes. Itachi smirked and roughly clapped Shisui on his uninjured shoulder. He deserved to spend one last afternoon with his pet project.

"Stay here, I have to go have another chat with our prisoners." He said, patting Shisui on the back.

The Hyuuga smiled as he rocked back on the balls of his feet.

"This is great! I wanted to ask you about this one thing and Koji needs instruction on his aim."

The Hyuuga continued to ramble on, pulling his General boldly towards the group. Shisui looked back at him helplessly but he could only smile with a small wave of his hand. It would be a while before he saw his cousin again after tomorrow.

But...

 _'All of this will crumble without you_.'

He would see him again.

...

 _ **The Sixteenth Summer of the Suzume**_

 _ **Uchiha Encampment**_

 _ **...**_

Yesterday had been like something out of a dream. Every arrow hit it's target. Every move they made had been in near unison. Everything was was perfect. Then...it all came crumbling down.

It had only been twelve hours since Shisui had to them of his departure.

Twelve hours of waiting.

Twelve hours of shared anxiety with her fellow archers.

Why? Why did it have to be him?

Hanabi bit her bottom lip as she watched the three men prepare to leave the camp. Her fingers tightened around the sling of the pack she held until her knuckles turned white. Inside she couldn't quell the churn of her stomach. The bright morning light gave such a stark contrast to the decimation she knew lied just beyond the hill. At her side, her fellow archers huddled in a semicircle of uncertainty. Despite their less than stellar attitude, Shisui remained unperturbed. One could even call him upbeat.

 _'Crazy man._ ' Hanabi thought, swallowing the lump in her throat.

How could he possibly be happy about this? He was leaving them behind. How could he possibly watch his own back?

"Alright." Shisui sighed as he patted the side of his horse. "I think that's everything."

He then looked over his shoulder at the group and laughed.

"I've never seen a more pitiful group in my life."

"It's not funny. You're putting yourself in danger." Hanabi snapped in spite of herself.

Although her comrades didn't voice their concerns she knew that they were all uneasy with this arrangement as well. None of them had slept a wink the previous night out of fear that the General would slip away without a chance for them to say goodbye. Even in the face of insubordination, the Uchiha's smile didn't falter.

"Oh? From where I'm standing you all are in much greater danger than I am Hyuuga."

That did nothing to assuage her nerves.

"You're going to be alone."

"I will have two of our best men with me."

"Shisui-"

"Someone has to tell the Emperor and Shogunate about the invasion."

"Can't they just get someone else?" Hanabi asked and Shisui chuckled.

"I am the 'someone else'. There is no one here that they would trust to take this information from. If every nōmin cried that the sky was falling it wouldn't have much meaning."

Hanabi worried her bottom lip. He had a point. Still, she looked to her left and right. What were they going to do without him around? They had been so focused on their archery that their other skills lagged far behind the other warriors in terms of using more close range weapons. She couldn't even remember an instance where she picked up her kunai to train. She mostly just kept one under her pillow because Moegi told her to.

"What are we supposed to do without our leader?" she asked, finally giving voice to the group's fears.

"You will fight." He replied simply.

His smile finally fell as he turned to the group and a serious look overcame him. He stared at each one of them and Hanabi couldn't help but feel small when he got to her. It felt as if he saw right through her. As if he knew.

"The only way to win is to fight. If you run away it will only be a matter of time before the enemy drags you from your hole and sticks your head on a pike. The cloud has never been known to show mercy. However, if you fight as you did in the valley I have no doubt that you will be victorious. You can and you will do this." He said, his words sinking in slowly to her very core.

Shisui stepped away from his horse to close the distance between them. A heavy hand landed on her head and ruffled the brown locks.

"The rest of you go on to practice. I will see all of you when I return. So don't die before then, got it?"

The boys didn't laugh at Shisui's morbid joke but a few of them cracked smiles. Solemnly they bowed deeply to the General before departing as requested. When the archers were a distance away, Shisui finally removed his hand from her head and her blood ran cold.

"I will be passing the Hyuuga compound on my way to the capital." He said and her breath caught in her throat. " If you wish to return…"

If she wished to return.

His words hung heavy in the air. Return. What would she be returning to? What would her father say when he discovered where she'd been all this time? When he discovered that she'd experienced combat…Would Neji still see her as his innocent little cousin after she'd lied to him and used him to escape? And Hinata…oh, Hinata…  
Her sister had no idea.

"You know. It's been a few years since I was behind the walls of the Hyuuga compound. The main house garden has the most beautiful sunflowers this time of year." Shisui said, breaking Hanabi from her thoughts.

She turned around slowly, her eyes wide with surprise. No one, absolutely no one was allowed into the inner ring. Shisui smirked and folded his arms over his chest.

"I…I don't know what you're talking about." She said defensively but Shisui wasn't buying it. "How do you know I'm from the main house?"

"You just told me yourself. Your mouth says one thing but those eyes give you away. Try to work on your poker face." He teased.

Hanabi blushed and looked away. Damn him!

"Don't feel bad. You make a pretty convincing boy to tell you the truth. You had me fooled for a while until…"

Shit! Knowing she was from the main house was one thing. Knowing that she was in fact a girl was a whole different story. How? How did he know?

"How do you know I'm a girl?"

She'd taken great strides to never bathe with the other boys nor did she piss on trees like they were fond of doing. Moegi would never tell anyone so how? The General sputtered a bit. This was likely the first time in a while that he found himself at a loss for words. It was baffling. She cocked her head to the side, confused as to why he was having such difficulties. Instead of answering, Shisui blushed and nervously scratched the back of his head.

"How I know is not important." He coughed and Hanabi narrowed her eyes. He merely waved her off.

"In any case, I don't expect you to remember me, you were such a little thing back then when I came to pick Itachi's bride. Your sister had the worst time trying to keep you in line too. I imagine she's having the same trouble with our dear Sasuke."

"Wait- so you know my sister personally?"

Shisui smiled and finally relaxed, happy to have diverted her attention. His relief was evident in his expression but Hanabi couldn't care less. He knew her sister.

"How is she? Does she like the District? Is the Uchiha matriarch kind to her? I've heard of terrible in-laws-"

"Whoa, slow down." Shisui laughed. "I'm sure Uchiha-sama is taking good care of your sister, I don't believe there is a mean bone in her body. Besides, she's completely enamored with Hinata as if she'd borne her herself. She is safe within the walls of the District. If you want to know more you'll have to come and see her yourself."

"I can see her…" Hanabi whispered.

Her sister. Hinata. It had been years since they'd last seen each other and months since they'd written. Had she sent letters to the compound? Was she angry with her lack of response? Did Hinata know that she'd run away? Would she be disappointed?

She wanted to ask her sister so many things, to tell her about all that she'd learned. However, her heart pounded violently in her chest. She was no longer the twelve-year-old girl that Hinata remembered. She could not even begin to fathom the woman her sister had become. She knew that Hinata would still be loving and kind and beautiful. She lived a life that Hanabi could never dare to dream.

And….she didn't want to.

Slowly, Hanabi shook her head and took a half step back.

"I…I think my place is here."

The words sounded so strange. This wasn't even her voice. Yet every syllable was true. A heavy hand patted her head and chuckled.

"I had a feeling you'd say that Hyuuga." Shisui said softly. "I haven't seen a shot like your's in a long time. It would be a shame for it to languish if all your days were filled with drinking tea and caring for a lesser lord's child."

Hanabi snorted at his odd compliment but felt a warm sense of pride well within her. Shisui's hand moved from her head to her chin and her vision shifted from dirt and gravel to dark eyes. There was a concern in them. Pride and worry. Affection. Neji looked at her the same way the night that she ran away.

"You've seen with your own eyes how dangerous life is here. Being a woman will only make things more difficult for you."

Hanabi shuddered and nodded. After what she'd seen…the cries she'd heard when men fell from their horses by her arrows…it was enough to make any sane person run screaming. As rational as she liked to think that she was, her heart couldn't fall in line. Her feet refused to move.

"When you said that the troops here only follow out of food and fear you were right. This is a nest of vipers, never forget that. As selfish as it is, can you do something for me?"

She swallowed thickly. She'd only seen Shisui this serious during the battle.

"Take care of Itachi until I'm able to return and protect him myself. I hate to put this on you but I will sleep easier knowing there is someone to challenge him and has his best interest at heart."

"I don't think I'll be much of a challenge to him. He doesn't listen to anyone." Hanabi scoffed.

She was never going to forget the punishment that her 'challenge' had earned her. Shisui's hand dropped from her chin as he laughed.

"He listens, trust me on that."

"Shisui! We're leaving!" one of the men called from the top of the hill.

"I'll be right there!"

Hanabi bit her bottom lip. He was really leaving. Pushing down her worries, she held out the black satchel she'd been holding and pressed it into the man's stomach.

"This is a quarter of everyone's rations for the week." She said, purposefully averting her gaze for fear of spontaneously bursting into tears.

"I have plenty of- actually…thank you Hyuuga." he replied and took her offering.

"Hanabi." she corrected.

She wasn't sure what came over her. She was used to being referred to by her family name but he knew she was a girl from the main house. He knew that Hinata was her sister. He should at least say her name too. It felt like an eternity as silence hung between them but eventually he ruffled her hair one last time.

"I remember now….Take care of yourself….Hanabi."

When his hand left her she immediately squeezed her eyes shut. Why did this hurt so much? Still, she was not going to cry. She was not. With nails digging into her palms, her father's voice floated in her head and his words took on a new meaning. Pain was not something that could only be felt physically. There were so many other ways to suffer an injury and still…one must remain standing.

 _'Endure even when it hurts.'_

As he walked away to mount his horse, Hanabi bowed deeply. She couldn't say goodbye. She couldn't watch him walk away but she could show him this small sign of respect.

 _'Endure because it hurts.'_

No matter what she would live, become stronger, and one day...

She would see him again.

 ** _..._**

 _'I wonder if he brought enough of these with him.'_ Hanabi thought as she rolled up a wad of fresh bandages as tightly as she could.

She sighed.

He probably had more than enough supplies with him but that didn't stop her from worrying. He shouldn't be riding a horse with an injured shoulder. The jostling could reopen his wound. Hanabi tossed the completed roll into the basket in front of her and reached for a loose strip from the pile.

Even if he did have enough bandages now, one could never know if they would need more. No. She was just being a worry wart. If she kept it up at this rate she was sure she'd turn into Neji.

Hanabi sighed again.

"I swear to the Gods that if you do that one more time I'll kick you out of this tent!" Moegi scolded and Hanabi glared back. "Don't look at me like that. You've been distracted all afternoon. Go on. Tell me everything."

Hanabi shrugged her shoulders as she absently continued her work. There was nothing for her to tell. Dissatisfied with her lack of a response, Moegi put down her own roll and snatched Hanabi's away as well.

"This sad attitude wouldn't have something to do with the General's departure?"

The Hyuuga gaped at the girl who looked as if she'd struck gold.

"Why would I care about something like that!" she said defensively but was met with a shrug.

"I'm just taking a wild guess. Itsu-san has been out of sorts as well since he's lost his gambling buddy," she replied with a nod towards the only occupied futon in the tent.

The man was buried under two blankets despite the summer heat because he'd drunk himself silly the night before. It was a miracle to all that had witnessed the sight that he was still breathing. Currently, he was recuperating albeit slowly. After the uneasiness of this morning's farewell, Hanabi wished that she could join him and sleep away the icky feelings.

"Things will just be different without him I guess." she grumbled as she fused with the fraying edge of her sleeve.

Everything would be different now...more difficult. Maybe she should have taken him up on his offer...

"I think that someone has a crush." Moegi teased and threw a roll at her blushing companion.

"I do not! Things will just be harder without him around to lead us!"

How could she make such ridiculous accusations?!

"I'm sure that's all it is."

"It is."

"Uh hun." Moegi smirked knowingly.

"What do you even know anyway?"

"A lot more than you do."

Hanabi stuck out her tongue childishly causing the redhead to snort.

"And that right there is how I am certain that I know more than you. I bet you've never even been with a man before."

The Hyuuga blushed fiercely and crossed her arms over her chest. The happenings between men and women were not something openly discussed within the the transition into womanhood was best kept behind closed doors...

... _Hanabi happily skipped down the hall, rice crackers discreetly shoved up her sleeves. Hinata hadn't been feeling well last night during dinner. In fact, she hadn't eaten anything before she excused herself to leave the table early. Since it was morning she was positive that Hinata had to be starving by now!_

 _Plus eating rice crackers with her sister would help some of her looser teeth fall out. It was annoying how her incisor kept wiggling. She wanted it out already! If this didn't work she would have to get Neji to pull it out. Impatiently she rounded the corner to where her sister's room was only to find the doorway crowded full of women._

 _"Are they here to see Hinata-nee-chan too?" Hanabi mumbled to herself._

 _No one noticed her appearance to the group as well so she tried her best to push her way through the crowd of silk yukatas. When she got to the front and peered into her sister's room she was met with an unexpected sight. Some of the branch women were folding up a white sheet that had been stained with blood. One of the older women had an arm around Hinata and it looked as if she were ready to cry at any moment._

 _"Has anyone informed Hiashi-sama?" one of the women whispered behind her._

 _"I believe so."_

" _Poor dear. If her mother was here, she'd be better equipped to explain."_

 _"Hinata-nee...are you hurt?" Hanabi asked, tuning out the gossiping women._

 _Something was terribly wrong with her sister. Yet as she tried to step into the room to comfort her one of the branch women pulled her away._

 _"Hey! Nee-chan is hurt! Let go!"_

 _"I'm sorry Hanabi-san but this is no place for a nine-year-old." the woman said firmly._

 _"I don't understand!"_

 _"You will when you're older. Let's go find Ko-san."_

 _Everyone always said that but she doubted it. No one ever explained anything to her. It was all because they said so and she had to trust that they had her best interest at heart. In this instance, however, she snatched her wrist sharply from her handler, taking the woman by surprise. She then turned on her heel and sprinted back towards her sister's room. Of course, the rice cracker's she'd been concealing in her other sleeve fell to the floor as she went._

 _The branch woman called after her, her footsteps loud on the wood as she gave chase but Hanabi ignored her. There was still a crowded of women outside of Hinata's room but she easily pushed through them all. Hinata looked thoroughly astonished to see her again as she tried her best to wipe away her tears with her sleeve. The sight was unsettling to the younger Hyuuga. She hated seeing her sister cry. Without another thought, she launched herself into her sister and wrapped her arms tightly around her waist._

 _"Hana!" Hinata gasped as the air was knocked out of her._

 _"Don't cry okay! I'm sorry you're hurt."_

" _Oh, Hana! I'm not...I'm not hurt."_

 _Hanabi frowned and held her sister at arm's length. If she wasn't hurt then why was she bleeding? Unfortunately, she did not get an answer before she was pulled away again but this time she complied because the one pulling her away was her father..._

...Later that day she received a scolding from her father for being disrespectful to the branch members when they told her something for her own good. It was years later that she discovered for herself exactly why Hinata had been in such a state that morning. Her flower had 'bloomed'. Although there was nothing flowery about bleeding every month. It felt more akin to one's guts falling out but that was nowhere near as poetic. No, the Hyuuga preferred more cryptic messaging.

Even as she was prepared for her wedding night she was not given more than the basal mechanics for how everything was supposed to work. At the end of the day, the details didn't matter. Her duty was to be a good wife and mother which she'd immediately failed at by running away. Still...that didn't mean she wasn't curious about the opposite sex.

Her blush deepened as she tried to imagine being with Shisui in an intimate way but the most she could conjure up was holding his hand. Hanabi covered her cheeks with her hands and squeezed her eyes closed. Why did her face feel like it was on fire? It wasn't until Moegi threw another bandage roll at her forehead that she realized how lost in her thoughts she'd been.

"Quit thinking dirty things!" she teased and Hanabi sputtered.

"I was just thinking about holding hands!"

"I'm sure you were, pervert!"

"I'm not a pervert!" she defended but Moegi began to laugh.

"I imagined clan girls to be sheltered but never this much." she chuckled, theatrically wiping fake tears from her eyes. "You do realize that most girls your age have already had at least one child."

Hanabi frowned at that fact and looked away. She didn't want children. She could never imagine raising a brood of her own. As Shisui had said, a life of caring for a lesser lord's child was not for her. However, the act of creating children was something the men within the camp lamented often. Konohamaru tried to add his own experience to their more lurid conversations from time to time but she doubted the voracity of his claims. Though he was more confident than Udon she was skeptical that he'd ever seen a woman naked.

"Moegi." Hanabi started nervously. "What's it like?"

The older girl blinked and cocked her head to the side.

"Are you asking me about lying with a man?" she asked.

Hanabi blushed but nodded in spite of her mortification. She glanced over at the slumbering doctor, thankful that he was currently incapacitated. It would be highly embarrassing if he woke up to this kind of conversation. Moegi, however, was unphased by her question. She shrugged nonchalantly and quickly busied herself with the stripes of bandages that had yet to be rolled.

"Being with a man hurts a lot I guess. Men seem to find it enjoyable I suppose."

"You suppose?" Hanabi repeated skeptically.

"I mostly just waited for them to finish and fall asleep. It never took long."

Them...

Waiting...

Hanabi felt all of the blood drain from her face as she watched Moegi attempt to put on a nonchalant mask to conceal her pain. While she had the luxury of wondering what it would be like to hold someone's hand...Moegi...

"Mo..." Hanabi choked out as she moved from her own spot to sit next to her friend.

The strong urge to hold her one and only friend overcame her and she acted on instinct. When she wrapped her arms around the girl she flinched sharply at the embrace. Hanabi didn't let go. She had no idea what to do in this kind of situation or what to say. Hinata had always been the most emotionally attuned person she knew. She would know exactly what to say to someone that was hurting. If Hinata was here what would she do? What would she say? Though she was at a loss for words she continued to hold Moegi until her hug was returned.

"I'm sorry." Hanabi whispered dumbly.

"Don't apologize. It's not your fault and it's all in the past." Moegi sniffed as she pulled away. "Besides, Itsu-san keeps me safe now."

"Really?"

Hanabi looked again at the doctor who was still snoring steadily away. It was difficult to see him having the capacity to protect anyone. Moegi smiled at her confusion and wiped away her tears with the heel of her hand.

"He's a pitiful old man isn't he? He could be worse I suppose. My mother sold me to a brothel when I was in my sixteenth summer. It was...a hard time for me." Moegi recounted, a far off look in her eyes.

"I found Itsu-san drunk in a ditch outside of the brothel one night when my work was done. He swore up and down that I looked like his dead daughter. The man has more than a few screws loose. Anyway, since he wore the Uchiha uniform I knew that he had to be apart of the forces that had taken up residence in the town.

I brought him back to the camp even though my madam would have been angry with me and I never looked back. Since I'm the only one who can keep him semi-sober most days and he really needed the extra assistance the last Commander allowed me to stay on the grounds that I didn't become a distraction. Itsu-san is pitiful but he's a capable doctor and like a father I never got to have."

Hanabi nodded, her own heart twisting at the reminder of her own father. Was he worried about her? Did he miss her the way the doctor missed his own daughter? She didn't have much of a chance to wonder before Moegi ruffled her short hair with her fingers.

"Keep yourself safe alright? No one can know the truth." she said, the seriousness in her voice sticking the younger girl to her core.

Shisui figuring out her secret was a fluke but she had to be extra careful from now on. Her place in this army was as a boy and that was the way it would stay.

"Stop thinking so much Hyuuga, you'll hurt your brain!" Moegi teased and threw a roll at her.

"Hey! Quit throwing those at me!"

All serious thoughts of crushes and trauma were pushed out of her mind as two more rolls hit her forehead. She smirked evilly before tackling Moegi to the ground.

This meant war!

 _ **To be continued...**_

 _First autumn morning_

 _the mirror I stare into_

 _shows my father's face._

 **(Murakami Kijo)**

 **.**

 **.**

 **.**

 **Story Rec Corner**

 _(With all the fics I recommend be sure to leave a review. Whether the story was completed in 2009 or is currently on going. Make sure you leave these writers their props! They worked hard ya know lol)_

 _Midnight in C Minor: Literally one of the prettiest things I have ever had the pleasure of reading. It will really tug at your heart too. If you enjoyed the short style of 'From Here' this story is a thousand times better_

 _The Folly of Flaunting: A great two-shot. You will have to suspend your disbelief at certain points but its a quality read and well worth your time. There's even a sequel which I will argue is even better._

 _My Heart Burns for You: Another Zutara fic that just blows me away. I'm always jealous at how well this author writes._

 **Final CCNote: If you or anyone you know is dealing with sexual assault don't bottle it up. Reach out to someone whether it be a friend, family, or a counselor. Hell even I have your back if you just need someone to listen to you. Remember, no matter what you're not alone!**


	21. Chapter 21

**CCNote: I told you I'd post the District-centric chapter quickly. This has to be my second favorite chapter of this story so far. I hope that you enjoy reading it as much as I did writing it! ANYWAYS! Don't forget to leave a REVIEW!**

 _First autumn morning_

 _the mirror I stare into_

 _shows my father's face_

 ** _(Murakami Kijo)_**

 **A Wolf among Sheep**

 _ **The Twenty-first Summer of the Taka**_

 _ **Uchiha District- Shiro**_

 _ **...**_

Sasuke was not sure what he expected to find when he entered the previously unconscious warrior's room. A man barely clinging to the last threads of his life was likely.

"She said to the man with a wink of her eye..."

A solemn man unwilling to speak about the horrors he'd seen was also probable.

"You'll need more than just your good looks if you want to get by..."

However, what he was met with instead was a man recounting a risque tale of a barmaid and a patron. It was one that he'd heard on a handful of occasions from the Uchiha guards and thoroughly inappropriate for one of his status to listen to. Yet Hinata, still dressed in the yukata from last night, was fully engrossed with the man's story.

"The man laughed and he grinned and he bandied about. I've got an even better-"

Sasuke cleared his throat. There was no way he was going to allow Hinata to hear that part of the story. The two looked up at the door at his intrusion and although Hinata turned beet red, the warrior was nonplused.

"Oh! I-I'm sorry!" Hinata gasped as she scrambled to her feet. "Um, he-he's awake."

"I can see that." he replied smoothly.

It defied the laws of nature but she turned even redder. If he was in a better mood it would have amused him but the elders had thoroughly pissed him off.

"So," the warrior said, his dark eyes trained on Sasuke. "You must be Sasuke."

The Uchiha nodded and stepped further into the room. He then lowered himself to sit beside the futon and Hinata hurriedly followed suit.

"And you are?" he started and the warrior let out a short chuckle.

"I am Hatake Kakashi, at your service."

Hatake. That name did not belong to any clan he knew of within the Land of Fire but it was still vaguely familiar. Kakashi noticed his furrowed brow and lazily scratched his masked chin.

"You're probably thinking about my father. I knew his skills in battle were amusing to tell as bedtimes stories to normal children but I would have never thought it would reach this far."

Sasuke's eyes widened slightly with realization. Hatake Sakumo. He was a well-known mercenary throughout the land of fire rumored to have bested some of the greatest Uchiha men. As a child, Sasuke had just believed the man to be a made-up legend but apparently, he was real and this was his son.

"Who is your father?" Hinata asked curiously but Kakashi shook his head.

"That is a story for another time Uchiha-sama. Right now-" he grunted and winced as he tried to adjust himself to sit straighter. I need to tell you why I'm here."

 _..."This heat is going to cook us alive."_

 _Kakashi turned to Shisui and nodded at his assessment. This had to be one of the hottest summers he'd ever experienced. It didn't help that they'd been traveling at a near breakneck pace since the last waxing moon. With any hope, they would make it to the capital before the next one._

 _"I know this route well. There's an old shrine up ahead. What do you say we rest there?" Sota wheezed as he fanned himself fruitlessly._

 _"I don't believe we have much of a choice on the matter. My horse is ready to keel over." Shisui agreed, patting the poor animal on its neck._

 _Kakashi would have voiced his own agreement to a break but it was just too much effort. In fact, everything these days concerning the Uchiha was too much of a stretch for him. This campaign was only meant to be a short search for the kidnapped Commander. He did not care why or who had taken the man. The truth was that his opinion of the former Commander was not that high. The amount of money they paid him, however, was more than worth sticking around. That and the fact that his skills would languish elsewhere._

 _Life would be easier for him in the capital as a personal guard to the Emperor and his family, he'd even done that for a short while, but it made him anxious. At least with the Uchiha, he had the freedom to improve himself against others. Yet here he was, trotting right back to the capital in the blistering Konoha sun. Perhaps this would be his last task with the Uchiha. Once he fulfilled his role on this mission he could retire somewhere nice. Kakashi scoffed at his own train of thought as he followed his companions down the well trodden road._

 _'How ridiculous.'_

 _A peaceful life was not something he would find. Such was his fate. Shaking his head he noticed that his companions had stopped riding. He caught up to them quickly and followed their line of sight up to the sky. Marring the expansive blue was a faint plume of black and an ominous feeling sunk into the pit of his stomach. He looked over to Shisui who's normal smile had fallen away._

 _Without a word, the General spurred his horse forward towards the smoke. It didn't take long before the noxious smell filled their lungs and their horses became resistant to going forward. Still, they pushed on until the sky turned black and the crackle of fire could be heard. Just a bit further up a hill, they were able to see the decimation below them. The shrine was burning like a well-fueled bonfire and the screams of its inhabitants were deafening._

 _At the entrance, there were several miko tied to the arches but even from this distance, they knew they were dead. Although the state of the mikos was disturbing it was nothing compared to the sight of a flag he thought he'd never see again._

 _"Shit." Shisui cursed, pulling his horse's reigns hard to make it stop. "Suna is here...Hatake, head to the Uchiha District."_

 _"Sir-"Sota started but the General ignored him._

 _"Someone has to find survivors but above all the District needs to be warned. We had no idea that there was another threat in addition to Kumo..."_

 _Kakashi looked warily at the fire. If there were any survivors their information would be invaluable. The decision to part ways did not sit right with him._

 _"We will head on to the capital and meet you in the District. Protect Sasuke. When all of this is over we need him alive."_

 _Shisui did not wait to hear his answer. Instead, he spurred his mount once more and went without hesitation into the small gap in the flames. Sota followed him shortly afterward. If there were two things he knew about the Uchiha the first was that they were an impulsive clan. They acted before asking questions and never looked back. It was admirable in a stupid way. Impulsivity got men killed. Frowning, he turned his horse away from the smoky horizon towards the west. He could only hope that the impulsive nature of the Uchiha clan was a blessing and not a curse._

 _Until then the objective of his mission had just gotten twice as interesting..._

...Sasuke felt frozen in place as Kakashi finished his tale. Beside him, Hinata began to tremble.

"I- I don't understand. W-why are they doing this?" she asked breathlessly.

She wasn't close to Shisui but a worry for his wellbeing settled into the pit of her stomach. Kakashi let out a slow breath through his nose and shook his head.

"I'm afraid that I do not know what their aim is either. Shisui and Sota will reach the capital soon if they haven't done so already. It wouldn't take them long to assess the shrine's burning after I left. Once the Emperor and the Shogunate are informed of the invasion I am afraid that things will not get better. There will be bloodshed in Konoha unlike anything we've seen before."

"And...Itachi?" Sasuke asked, his brother's name thick on his tongue.

"The Commander is leading the charge. I was apart of Shisui's mission because they trusted me to deliver his scroll to you. Unfortunatly along the way I was caught in a storm. I may have failed in that regard but I know that I am tasked with keeping you safe."

Sasuke and Hinata looked at one another. This was not what either of them had expected to happen. The Uchiha watched as Hinata slowly deflated, her shoulders slumping and her eyes glassy with tears that threatened to spill over. She had wanted to see Itachi's return just as much as he had. However, what she said next surprised him.

"We should close the District." she said softly as she blinked away her tears. "I don't know much about people from Suna or Kumo but I can't risk anyone getting hurt."  
Kakashi nodded approvingly before running a tired hand through his hair.

"That is what the Commander would have wanted you to do. When Shisui arrives he will bring a small contingent from the Shogunate's personal forces to defend the District. I hope that this will prove to be an unnecessary measure but..."

"No, we can't be too careful." Sasuke said, his brow furrowing with worry. "We need to inform the elders and the servants as well. No one should be allowed into or out of the Shiro after the District walls are secured."

Hinata looked apprehensive but slowly nodded her agreement. If anyone got past the District walls they would be in danger. There was no better bargaining chip than family. Or, if they were feeling vindictive, their deaths would send a message. A chill ran the length of his spine as he stood and held his hand out to Hinata.

"Come. We've wasted enough time."

Hesitantly her small hand took his and with it her fragile trust.

...

 _ **The Twentieth Summer of the Hato**_

 _ **Uchiha District- Shiro courtyard**_

 _ **...**_

When she woke up this morning her heart had been full of hope. Now as she watched the Shiro's inhabitants file into the courtyard her heart was heavy with worry. Although these people provided her with a life of ease it was her responsibility to keep them safe. She may not be an Uchiha by blood but she'd spent the last three years in their care. If anything were to happen to them-

 _'No! No, I mustn't think that way!'_ Hinata internally scolded.

Worrying about the worst would not help their situation. What they had to do now was be prepared. Patiently she waited for all of the staff to file in, scanning each of their faces for the three that she wanted to see the most to seek comfort. It wasn't until the last guard and an old scribe brought up the rear filed in that her heart began to sink. Behind them, Sakura and Temari shuffled into the crowded courtyard but Ino did not follow. Where was Ino? Perhaps she and Sai didn't get the message to come to the courtyard.

"Is that everyone?" Sasuke asked as a silence fell over the assembly.

The scribe and guard moved through the crowd to reach where they stood on the slightly raised dais. In the scribe's wrinkled hand was a scroll that he held out humbly to her with a bow. When Hinata was reluctant to take it, the Sasuke took it and unfurled it quickly. Black eyes scanned the parchment marked with the names of their staff twice before handing the scroll back. those same eyes fell on her, cold and calculating.

"Where is your third servant?" he asked in a third voice although they both knew that she had no idea. He had not left her side all morning. Frowning, he turned his attention back to the scribe and the guard.

"The artist, Sai, he is not among the courtyard either I presume."

"We did a cursory search of the Shiro but he was nowhere to be found." the guard answered.

"Look again." Sasuke commanded firmly and the guard looked at her nervously before bowing.

"Yes sir."

Silently he turned back to weave his way through the crowd, a handful of guards following his departure.

"Sasuke." Sho hissed as he approached the dais, the other elders trailing closely behind him. "What is the meaning of this?"

Sasuke ignored the man and motioned for a few guards to approach. His dark eyes were trained on her two attendants-one of which was trying her best to hide behind the other.

"Take them away and find the third." he commanded.

Immediately four guards closed in on Temari and Sakura, roughly grabbing them by their upper arms to keep them from running. Sakura tried to shake off the one holding her but Temari simply stayed still, her eyes trained on her mistress. Hinata felt her heart sink into the pit of her stomach and placed a hand on the Uchiha's arm.

"Sasuke, wait!" she said, finding her voice once more. "I'm sure Ino and Sai are here somewhere-"

"We demand answers boy!" Sho spat.

All around them the staff started to murmur in agreement, their gazes shifting suspiciously over to her two attendants. When Sakura realized she was bringing even more attention to herself by struggling, she stopped but refused to look at Hinata.

"Please, let them go." Hinata ordered but one look at Sasuke caused them to hesitate.

It only took another nod from him before the two women were taken away. Hinata felt her grip on Sasuke's arm tighten as she watched them take her two attendants-no- her friends away. She wanted to scream and demand that they stop but she knew it would do no good. When the guards and her friends disappeared into the South Wing of the Shiro, the murmuring of the crowd was silenced with a simple raise of Sasuke's hand.

"We received word that there was been an invasion on our shores." he said and the courtyard exploded once more.

"An invasion?"

"What! How could this be?!"

"Here?!"

"Sasuke." Sho said firmly, his gravelly voice cutting through the din. "Are you sure?"  
The younger Uchiha gave a curt nod.

"Kumo and Suna have both set foot on Konoha soil. Kumo has already attacked one of the westward villages while Suna desecrated has a sacred shrine. Although separate incidents we can not rule out that they may be working together."

"If...if that is the case then that means-"

"Yes. My father's disappearance was not a coincidence but bait to draw our forces elsewhere, leaving us defenseless." Sasuke interrupted, turning his attention back to the crowd. "The Shiro will be locked from this day forward. No one is allowed in or out without an escort. The District itself will be closed indefinitely. Do I make myself clear?"

All of the servants bowed their heads in understanding. The Uchiha were a resilient clan and when under threat there was no room for confusion, only compliance. Hinata swallowed thickly as dozens of dark eyes turned their gazes towards her, limply her hand fell from Sasuke's arm. Never before had she felt like more of an outsider.

"If I may suggest, Uchiha-sama." Sho started, cutting through the thick tension of the courtyard. "It would be best for you to retire to your rooms until we can be sure that those tasked with protecting you are trustworthy enough."

Hinata opened her mouth to protest but what could she say? It felt as if she were a child being sent off into another room while the adults had a real discussion. Yet if she voiced her concern she would be seen as no better than a petulant child. Stiffly she descended from the dais and towards the gathered crowd which parted before her.

The elders may claim that she was to be protected but the truth was that she would only get in the way. In their eyes...

She was useless.

...

 _ **The Twenty-first Summer of the Taka**_

 _ **Uchiha Shiro- South Wing**_

 _ **...**_

"That's the last person sir." the scribe said as he rolled up his scroll and the last servant was escorted out of the room.

Sasuke closed his eyes, pinching the bridge of his nose between his forefinger and thumb. The Shiro was maintained by less than fifty people but it felt like an endless stream of them had been through his office. From midmorning until dusk he'd personally seen to it that every soul within the Shiro's walls was who they said they were. It was awkward to be in such a position as to question the loyalty of individuals who'd raised him since he was in swaddling clothes but they all took the questioning well. Their complete and utter obedience to his words and the clan was but a small comfort.

Beside him, Kakashi let out a yawn. He was weary from his journey but insisted upon staying by Sasuke's side since that morning. Although he was grateful for the man's warning and his service to Itachi the man was...  
Annoying.

"If you are tired, you should rest." Sasuke said as Kakashi yawned again.

"And leave my Commander's precious little brother open to being attacked? I think not."

"I am perfectly capable of defending myself."

"I'm sure."

He didn't sound sure at all. Sasuke frowned and made to retort but the door to the office opened once more. A guard bowed low before entering with the two servants he'd been most anxious to question. The pink haired one that had previously attempted to strike up a conversation with him in the hot springs looked worse for wear. Her long pink hair looked as if she'd been dragged through a bush and her face was puffy from crying. The other servant girl looked unphased by the entire process. If anything she looked almost bored.

Or at least she did until Kakashi spoke.

"Do I know you?" he asked suddenly, shaking the woman from her steely resolve. She quickly recovered however and averted her eyes.

"You are mistaken."

" I don't-"

"Kakashi, we do not have time for your memory to fail us." Sasuke interrupted sharply. "Tell me where the third one is."

The blonde scoffed and the pink-haired girl sniffed.

"Tell me where she is and you will be free to return to your duties as normal."

His second attempt at getting them to talk was fruitless as well. Frustrated he stood up and narrowed his eyes at the pair.

"Where is the third one?" he asked through clenched teeth.

"Third one." the blonde snorted. "We have names or was it too beneath you to remember them."

"Don't-" the pinkette whimpered but the blonder ignored her.

"No. He ordered us to be treated like common criminals when we have done nothing wrong. Do all Uchihas make snap decisions like you or are you a special brand of idiot?"

The guards on either side of the women moved to reprimand them but Sasuke stayed their actions with a wave of his hand.

"It would be wise for you to answer Uchiha-san's questions. There are enemies outside of these walls. For the safety of-" Kakashi said, his demeanor much calmer than his Uchiha counterpart.

"Ino." the pink one squeaked.

Sasuke rolled his eyes. He really didn't care what the woman's name was. All he cared about was finding her.

"For the safety of Ino, it would be best to cooperate."

"She-"

"Sakura!" the blonde snapped but the pink haired one shook her head.

"What if she's in trouble?" Sakura pleaded, wiping her eyes with the sleeve of her wrinkled yukata. "Sir. Ino didn't do anything wrong. Well, she did but she didn't."

"Make sense woman." Sasuke hissed. He didn't have time for her blubbering. She, on the other hand, had clammed up and her green eyes welled up with fresh tears.

"Sakura was it?" Kakashi intervened, wearily getting to his feet. The girl in question meekly nodded. "Cherry blossom, that's quite a pretty name don't you think Sasuke?" The Uchiha suppressed the urge to growl. "Please tell us what you know from the beginning."

Sakura seemed soothed by the annoying warrior's words. With one last sniff, she wiped her nose clean and started.

"Ino really liked Sai the moment she saw him. She'd tell me every day that he was her soulmate and that one day they'd get married. I...I thought it was just a fantasy. What girl doesn't dream of marrying the man of their dreams? Only it was real for Ino and she...she left with Sai."

"Do you remember what time they left?"

"We caught her leaving just before dawn."

"Did they take any horses?"

"No!" Sakura protested adamantly. "Ino would never dream of taking what didn't belong to her. Especially not something that belonged to Hina- Uchiha-sama."

Sasuke frowned as he listened to Sakura recount her tale. No wonder Hinata's servants hadn't noticed their mistress out of bed. They were too busy being pathetic love-struck women. They should have picked women from amongst the clan to serve her as they always did but his mother felt Hinata would be more comfortable with an outsider like her. She felt the girl needed friends. Some 'friends' they turned out to be.

"Gather a team and search the area until you reach the nearest village. They can't have gotten further than that on foot." Sasuke commanded and the guard holding Sakura bowed before leaving to complete his task.

"Please, you can't punish Ino or even Sai for that matter. They had no idea that there were enemies in Konoha and they have nothing to do with them-"

"I shall do what I see fit." Sasuke replied flatly.

"But-"

"Stop trying Sakura. There is no use pleading with a bastard like him."

"Temari!"

Sasuke froze, the insult shooting straight through the recesses of his mind. This servant. This vile woman. She knew.

"Take her away. I have no more use for her." Sasuke said to the guard with a nod of his head to Sakura. "Return her to her mistress' chambers until further notice."

"Wait! Please-"

"Come along now."

"No-"

"Sakura." Temari hissed though she didn't spare a look in the struggling girl's direction. "You're making a fool of yourself and Uchiha-sama is waiting on our return."

Sakura simmered down at this through the look in her eyes remained conflicted.

"But Temari-"

"Take care of your mistress and get some rest Sakura-san. It has been a taxing day for us all." Kakashi said and the woman's shoulder's slumped at his words.

Compliantly she allowed the guard to lead her out of the room. When the door shut behind them, Kakashi spoke once again.

"Temari." he mused, the sound of her name causing the girl to flinch. "That is a rather unique name for a girl that lives in the Land of Fire. In fact...it is one that I've only heard spoken in the Sand."

The blonde didn't respond but Sasuke's patience had run out. She knew a lot more than she was letting on. He opened his mouth to demand answers but Kakashi placed a heavy hand on his shoulder and squeezed. What the hell did he think he was doing?

"I have traversed all four of the great nations and one of my favorite places to visit was Suna, the capital of the Sand. It was a pleasant place if you ignored the oppressive heat and the tendency for particles of sand to find a home in your ass. The women wore much less than those here, how I miss the sight."

"Kakashi-" Sasuke interrupted, his patience wearing thin. However, his protests were ignored.

"I had the honor of attending the ending of an embargo under our former Commander when he visited Suna on the behalf of the Shogunate. The nation had racked up so much debt going to war with Konoha. Its men were dead. It's children orphaned. There was nothing being sold for export and as a result, people died in the streets. It is said that women would walk into the desert with their children and only returned when their bones had been found.

The Sunakage was a stubborn and prideful man, as most men of any modicum of power are, but he was also desperate. His people protested in the streets and dragged officials from their beds. I'm sure that a maiden like yourself has never had to experience such a thing and I apologize to worry you with such a tale. Yet your name sparks a memory.

"Now during this negotiation, we only had one request from our Emperor and Shogunate- the complete submission of the Sand. It was a pity for them to lose their independence but in return, they gained the protection and economic stimulus of our nation. The Sunakage could not protest these terms since he didn't have much to bargain with but he had a daughter. She was a beautiful girl known as the jewel of the desert when she was dressed up in her finery.

He knew that our Shogunate had remained unmarried and hoped in a last ditch effort that a political marriage would allow Suna to keep its independence at least in name. When we sent word back to him, he was intrigued by the offer and agreed. The rest was merely ink and paper as you know. We took the girl from her home and escorted her all the way to the imperial city. I only caught a glimpse of her when we were handing her off. She was just as beautiful as the rumors said. Wouldn't you agree...Temari?"

The woman in question shook as Kakashi finished his tale, her hands clenched into fists at her side and her eyes trained on the floor. Kakashi walked over to her and she flinched as he lifted her chin.

"The real mystery is how the bride of the Shogunate ended up a slave of the Uchiha. Perhaps you could come up with a guess for me?"

"If you knew who I was this whole time why didn't you say anything?" the girl hissed while Kakashi lazily crossed his arms over his chest.

"I didn't know. You just told me."

"You insufferable, arrogant-"

"Enough!" Sasuke shouted. "What the hell are you doing here and why?"

Temari sneered but didn't say anything. This only served to further enrage the Uchiha. Who was this woman to think that she could waltz into his home and deny him any modicum of respect?

"Are you not going to answer me?" he asked through clenched teeth. "Have it your way. Guards!"

The two guards just outside the library immediately entered the room and flanked the woman on either side. She continued to stand with her head held high, unfazed by men who would strike her dead if so ordered. She had no fear and that was her problem. It was no matter. All men- and women- crumbled eventually.

...

 ** _The Twentith Summer of the Hato_**

 ** _Uchiha Shiro- West Wing_**

 ** _..._**

The Shiro bustled loudly outside her door despite the fact that the sun had barely begun to rise. Footsteps rushed past at a near constant, reminding her that their days of peace were gone. Everything was about to change. Hinata absently stroked the pink head of her only remaining attendant. Sakura had returned to her chambers late in the evening with tears in her eyes and worry in her heart. According to her, Sasuke had ordered his men to find Ino and Sai. What he would do to them when they were found, she had no idea.

Sakura had cried for hours and hours until she finally succumbed to her own exhaustion and fell asleep. Hinata would have done the same but she couldn't relax without knowing the fate of Temari. She remained awake, patiently waiting for the blonde to enter her chambers but she never did. That fact made her blood run cold. What was Sasuke doing? She understood that the threat they were under was serious but was this harsh treatment really necessary? Temari had nothing to do with the disappearance of Sai and Ino.

Hinata bit her bottom lip as she thought of the Uchiha and her eyes began to burn. He'd made a complete and utter fool of her in front of the entire clan yesterday. She'd looked weak and ineffective. Not only that she'd had to bow to his wishes and now...

"Now I'm a prisoner in my own home." she whispered.

She'd tried to leave her room once but the guards Sasuke had put outside her door kept her from leaving. They'd been apologetic of course but that didn't make it any better. Hinata frowned as she adjusted Sakura's head from her lap and propped it up with a cushion. What would Mikoto say to see her so complacent? To see her bend so easily to the will of others?

 _'From this day forward you will bow before no man.'_

A chill ran down her spine at the memory as she rose to her feet. Mikoto would be so disappointed to see her now and Itachi... Itachi. Although Kakashi had not brought good news he'd said nothing of her husband's demise. That meant that he was out there fighting. If he was putting himself in harm's way how weak did that make her? The Shiro was in danger and even though she could not fight that didn't mean she had nothing substantial to add. She would be of no assistance to anyone locked away like this.

 _'But what can I do?'_ she asked internally but quickly shook away her doubt.

She might not have a solid skill but she could not continue to sit in the dark like this and be excluded. Sasuke out of all people had to understand that. Taking a deep breath, she steeled herself to leave. She only spared one worried glance at Sakura to ensure that the girl was still asleep before leaving her bedchamber. From there she moved swiftly through the anteroom, her bravery mounting with every step she took. However, it was when she moved to open her door that she faltered.

The guards would surely dissuade her from leaving just like they had before. She had to get past them. Her brow furrowed as she tried to devise a way out but came up empty. Sneaking around and tricking people was not her forte. That had always been her sister's area of expertise.

 _'Hanabi. What would you do?'_ Hinata thought.

She'd probably lie. Hanabi always lied...

 _'That's it!'_

Quickly before she chickened out, Hinata slid open the anteroom door. It cracked loudly in its frame and the guards jumped to attention.

"Uchiha-sama-" They started, alarmed to see her up so early in the morning.

"Please. You have to help!" she said frantically. "She won't wake up! I can't get her to wake up!"

It must have helped that her eyes were puffy and red from staying up all night because the guards sprang into action. They rushed past her into the anteroom without a moment of hesitation towards the bedroom. As they ran in, Hinata ran out whispering a silent apology to Sakura as she did so. When the guards woke her up she would not be in a good mood.

Hinata had never considered herself to be a runner in her life. The most she'd ever done was chase after her sister when they were small but that had been many moons ago. Still, she raced through the halls of the Shiro as quickly as she could before someone could catch her. She only had one thing on her mind as she ducked behind statutes and into alcoves to avoid detection. She had to find Sasuke and convince him that she was of value. That she could help.

She was _not_ useless.

 _ **To be continued...**_

 _Don't weep, insects-_

 _Lovers, stars themselves,_

 _Must part._

 ** _(Kobayashi Issa)_**

 **Story Rec Corner**

 _Abdication of the Heiress : This is an ongoing story that was just recently posted. It shows a lot of promise so I hope you all scoot on over an give it a look. Its a take on the Sasuke guards Hinata type fic so if that's your thing give it a click._

 _The Chaos Theory: This fic has probably been recommended countless times but for good reason. Its a great go back in time kinda fic. The characters are very believable and its a lot of angst. It does it difficult to read at times when you have to keep current/future characters straight but that's a minisucle thing. This fic is one that can be read repeatedly and you'll pick up something new each time._

 _2B or Not 2B : This is a Sailor Moon SenshixShinnetoui story (whaaaa). I don't want to spoil the story for you but if you enjoyed the style of 'A is for Uchiha' this fic is for you. I'm the kind of person where I like looking at all relationships not just the mains (ie only Usagi and Mamo). Anyway go give it read. It's quality content!_


	22. Chapter 22

**CCNote: Hey y'all! Back at it again with another update! To the hater in the comments: You wasted a lot of time and energy writing that review lol. I hope it made you feel better.**

 **ANYWAY a common question I've been getting is: "How did Shisui know that Hanabi was a girl?" Well, do you remember back when Hanabi was overheated and he carried her on his back? Yea... bindings can only hide so much and since she was exhausted she was not being careful. I thought that little clue was funny but maybe I'll go back and make it more obvious later lol.**

 **As always please enjoy and ignore my terrible, glaring mistake. Don't forget to leave a REVIEW!**

 _Don't weep, insects-_

 _Lovers, stars themselves,_

 _Must part_

 **(Kobayashi Issa)**

 **Away**

 _ **The Twenty-first Summer of the Taka**_

 _ **Uchiha Shiro- West Wing Patriarch Study**_

 _ **...**_

"There are three dozen boys aged thirteen to fifteen that are still learning in the academy."

"Bring them to me this afternoon. I will see where their skills are."

"There is too much to do between now and the harvest. We can not spare their hands on pointless patrols."

"Would you rather rice in your belly or a sword?"

Sasuke pinched the bridge of his nose, the arguments of the elders washing over him. They had been up since dawn strategizing and scheming. There was so much that he needed to do today that it was almost as if he'd closed his eyes for a minute before he had to open them again. The boys in the academy were too young to fight in a war. Their mothers would protest any acceleration of their sons into uniform. Their husbands were already away fighting...

Then there was the fact that the District was now closed until further notice. They could get through this winter without any assistance from the capital. The summer planting had gone well so far and the scribes did not predict any disasters to befall them from the sky. It would be lean but they would get through the winter. It was the subsequent spring that would be the issue. If his brother lost, if they were overrun by their enemies.  
 _If_

 _If_

 _If_

There were too many variables. Too many outcomes that needed to be accounted for and they had only barely scratched the surface. The Uchiha let out a slow breath through his nose and tried to focus on the scroll in front o him. Unfortunately the room had gone silent and eight pairs of eyes were staring pointedly at him.

"Sasuke-san. Have you listened to a word we've said?" Sho asked accusingly.

"I have. Split the day for the boys and have them in the fields during the morning with training in the afternoon. All retired men will be on patrols and as the eldest boys age up in the coming months, allow them to follow along. Any complaints will be brought to me immediately." Sasuke replied and the elders looked warily at one another before nodding. "Is there anything else?"

"Yes, actually." Sho said. "Your marriage."

Sasuke leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms over his chest. Not this again.

"My brother is not dead-"

"No, but he is as good as." Sho snapped harshly. "You have been spoiled and allowed to do as you please without thought to the greater good of the clan. Every man that has sat in the position you may fill has made a sacrifice to ensure the longevity of his people. It's high time that you did the same. Getting married is but a small price to pay."

"And who do you propose I marry Sho? Your fifteen-year-old great granddaughter?" Sasuke sneered, uncaring at how the elders flinched at his words. Sho was not one to be easily riled by mere words and as he folded his hands on the table and narrowed his eyes.

"The capital is not only a place for you to find a suitable bride but it is also the safest place for you."

"I will not leave my clan in harm's way to go woo some simpering nobleman's daughter."

"Sasuke think of the clan!"

"You are a prime target here in the District-"

"I will not leave."

"Sasuke-"

"Enough!" Sasuke snapped, slapping the table so hard that the teacups rattled in their saucers. "Itachi is not dead. End of discussion."

The room fell silent but Sasuke knew that they were not finished with him yet. They would not be satisfied until the cries of an heir could be heard within the Shiro's walls and even then they would want another. An heir and a spare.

"If I may be so bold." Kakashi said from his spot in the corner.

All eyes snapped to the previously silent man. No one really wanted the opinion of an outsider, especially not one who'd only been conscious within their walls for a day. Kakashi, however, did not seem to care about decorum or clan politics. He was tasked with protecting Sasuke and that was exactly what he was going to do.

"Sasuke it is very dangerous for you to stay here in the District. In the capital, there are more men to protect you and more of the resources within the District can go to your people. They cannot maintain full readiness if they are too worried about you and your safety. At least in the capital, you will be well guarded by the emperor's personal forces."

All around the table the eight elders nodded their agreement and Sasuke rolled his eyes. They were only being 'pleasant' because Kakashi agreed with them. Still, Kakashi did make sense. If their already small force wasn't concentrated on the Shiro they could better protect the District as a whole. If he were gone it would be one less thing to worry about.

"Then there is the matter of my Commander's wife-" Kakashi started but Sho cut him off.

"Preparations for her wellbeing are underway as we speak." he said and Sasuke frowned. There had been no discussion on this. He had not authorized anything in regards to Hinata.

"And what might these 'preparations' be?" he asked through clenched teeth.

"She will be returned to the Hyuuga compound with her dowery intact. This is no place for a Hyuuga and she will only prove to be a liability." Sho replied calmly.

"No. She will remain here."

"On the contrary Sasuke."Sho sighed as if he were admonishing a child. "Hinata is a warden of the clan. Since Itachi's fate is unknown her well-being and any children they might have produced would fall to us. It was the same for your mother before her. As you remain unmarried you can't be trusted to continue the line of succession and therefore your input in all of this is but a mere suggestion."

Sasuke bit back an insult. He had to control his temper.

"I will not allow you to send her back."

"You have no authority over this matter." Sho said finally rising to his feet and the other elders followed suit. "She will be moved quickly while it is still safe to travel. We will see to it that your preparations to the capital are swift as well."

They left as one from the room but the damage wrought remained behind. Hinata was leaving. She was leaving the District. She was leaving him.

'She doesn't belong to me.' Sasuke growled to himself, cutting off any further train of thought.

Behind him, Kakashi walked up to the table and sat on one of the vacated pillows. He then reached for the tea kettle that had long since grown cold and inspected its contents.

"Hinata will be safer with the Hyuuga. They are her family and do not have a target on their backs. You do." he said and Sasuke scoffed.

"Are you just here to agree with everything the elders say?"

"No." Kakashi replied calmly as he set the kettle back down. "I'm here to protect you."

"I know, you've said that already."

This man was a broken record.

"Do you want my advice?"

"No."

"The best way to protect Hinata is to protect yourself. Right now your focus should be on securing the District and leaving for the capital. Until you get married you will not have a full say on anything that goes on here anyway."

Sasuke frowned, his fingers unconciously curling into fists. Kakashi was right but still...

"Once you're in the capital it will give Shisui peace of mind as well and he will be able to lead the forces here without distraction."

Sasuke frowned, his resolve slowly being chipped away. Futily he closed his eyes and tried to ignore the uncertainty creeping into his heart.

"Itachi is not dead." he whispered.

"He is not invincible and neither are you."

No...no he wasn't.

...

 ** _The Twentith Summer of the Hato_**

 ** _Uchiha Shiro- East Wing Matriarch Study_**

 ** _..._**

Where was it?

 _...I can't even share my joy. Not yet..._

It had to be here somewhere

 _This campaign's intake was less than we anticipate. All of the gold will be distributed evenly amongst the clan but there will be none left for the coffers._  
 _The rains have flooded their fields and left the soil unusable for the next season. We will have to send our surpluses to the capital or they won't have enough for the next feast. Feast? Their people starve in the streets..._

Mikoto knew so much about everything that happened inside of the Land of Fire as well as it's allies and enemies. Why hadn't she paid more attention during her lessons? Surely there was history between Kumo, Suna, and Konoha. There had to be a reason behind their invasion. If she could figure that out she might be of more assistance.

There had to be something here in Mikoto's journals that she could use. Her eyes scanned frantically over the dozens of scrolls in the study. She searched for any mention of the enemies currently invading their country but so far there was nothing.  
She had to find something within them that was helpful. There had to be something. Wars did not just brew overnight. Unfortunately she'd been reading all morning. It was discouraging but there had to something.

If not within the journals in Mikoto's study then maybe there was something in Fugaku's study. She bit her bottom lip and opened another scroll. Sasuke would be in Fugaku's study-

"Ah...there you are." an old gravelly voice called from the study's doorway.

Hinata jumped in surprise at the intrusion and quickly turned around. Standing in the doorway was Sho, his wrinkled hand lazily clutching his cane as he stepped into the room.

"Sho-san! I didn't hear you come in." Hinata apologized, quickly bowing as he approached.

The old man waved off her apology with his free hand and glanced at the scrolls strewn haphazardly on the desk.

"What is all this?" he asked and Hinata blushed at the mess she'd made, quickly scrambling to straighten things.

"I...I was just trying to do my own research." she muttered, earning a chuckle from the old man.

"I don't believe you should worry yourself so. This is a contentious time but nothing my clan has not weathered before."

Hinata frowned, pausing in her attempts to pick up Mikoto's scrolls. This was her clan as well. She had more of a reason than anyone to be worried about the current state of affairs. After all, it was her husband that was fighting on the front lines.

"With all due respect sir, this is my problem as well." she said.

Sho shook his head and looked out of the study window.

"I'm afraid that the rains have come early today."

Suprised at the off-handed remark, Hinata followed his line of sight to find the light drizzle of a summer afternoon shower had picked up. Rain was normal this time of year. There was no reason for Sho to even mention it. The man in question, however, was already making his way out of the study.

"Sir?" Hinata said, a sense of trepidation nagging her in the back of her mind.

"Be sure to stay dry Hyuuga-san." he said without turning around.

"What-" Hinata started but as soon as Sho was out of the doorway, two guards replaced him.

They weren't armed in any way, their usual armor was forgone in favor of simple navy yukatas divested of the Uchiha symbol. The two men approached her warily as if encountering an injured animal and their behavior further confused her.

"What is going on?" she asked and the men looked to one another.

"You're to come with us Uchiha-sama." one of them answered and the other nodded to the truth of what he said.

"And _where_ are we supposed to be going?"

She straightened her spine and looked both men in the eyes. There was no reason that she had to follow them anywhere. This was her home.

"We are under orders to bring you safely to the Hyuuga Compound. It would be best for us to leave now before the rain picks up any more."

The Hyuuga Compound? Why? Why was she going back? Who would order such a thing? Unfortunately she didn't have time to think before the men reached out to her, bringing her back to reality. She immediately took a step back and the men stopped.

"Please don't make this any more difficult. We don't want to fight you." one of them said.

Fight? What in the world was happening? She'd done nothing wrong?

"Where is Sasuke?" Hinata asked. "I need to speak with him."

"He's...busy. Just please come along with us."

"We have been ordered to carry you if we must."

Hinata took another step back, her heart beginning to thunder loudly in her chest. Sasuke was sending her away. He was making her leave. This was her home. Mikoto had said so. Yet now she was going to be carted away like the outsider she was. The two guards took a hesitant step towards her but this time she didn't back away. Instead, her shoulders slumped and she fought not to cry.

She was leaving.

Seeing as how she was no longer putting up a resistance one of the men walked out of the room and she followed him. The other guard brought up the rear and the trio left the study to emerge into the empty hallway. After twenty-four hours of near constant activity, it was odd for the east wing to be so silent. She supposed that privacy was the last scrap of decency that Sasuke would ever bestow to her.

Bitterly she made her way through the east wing hallway, only the sounds of their footsteps and her heartbeat reverberated off of the walls. With each step forward she apologized to those she'd failed. She'd failed as a mistress to Temari who was now locked away in the recesses of the Shiro. She'd failed Itachi who for all she knew was bleeding out somewhere. She failed Mikoto and all of the time she'd spent trying to mold her into someone the former matriarch could have been proud of. Most of all she'd failed herself.

"This way." the guard in front directed and they stepped out into the courtyard.

Sakura was waiting at the bottom of the steps with a bowed head and an umbrella. She immediately scrambled to cover Hinata protectively from the rain and their group became one person larger. They crossed the courtyard slowly. Across the way, she heard the sound of a window snapping shut and stopped in her tracks. She looked around, hoping to see where the sound had come from. Was Sasuke watching her? Did he know they were sending her away? Of course, he knew. He had to know.

"Sasuke." she whispered. "Please don't send me away."

Her words, however, fell on deaf ears and the prodding of the guard behind her nudged her forward. Sakura gave her arm a comforting squeeze and smiled.

"Let's go."

 **...**

 ** _The Twenty-first Summer of the Taka_**

 ** _Uchiha Shiro- West Wing Patriarch Study_**

 ** _..._**

Late in the afternoon the rain came down in sheets and remained torrential well after the sun had set. It worried him but he kept steadfast to his tasks. It was odd in a way. Never before had he been allowed into his father's study nor had he dreamed of entering. It was a place for the Uchiha Commander and as a spare he was useless. Yet now he was swimming in paper and ink and more problems than he realized. For hours and hours, he'd sat trying to figure it all out.

Dinner came to the study and left untouched long after. Maps were strewn across every useable surface and even those that weren't. The ledgers of their supplies from the previous year had been brought out, the numbers making his eyes cross the longer he stared at them. As his neck grew tense from being stooped over documents the rain continued to fall. If it kept at this pace there was a risk of some of their late planted crops washing away in a flash flood. A flood might cause minor damage to the District streets and affect their readiness in case of an attack. A flood might slow her progress. She might have to come back.

 _No._

Sasuke shook his head. It was for the best that Hinata was returned to the Hyuuga clan. She would be much safer there than within the District. Although he wished to have more time to think about the decision that was a luxury that couldn't be afforded. She had to leave while traveling was still an option. It was a gamble but he knew she would be safe amongst her own blood.

He'd been reminding himself of this logic since the moment he'd seen her emerge from the east wing with the guards and her attendant. Those two men had been sworn to protect her on her journey and would remain with the Hyuuga until the threat was over. She would be safe and yet...

"You're awake."

Sasuke looked up from the current ledger for their rice stock and glared at the gray-haired man leaning in the study doorway.

"Has she given up anything of use?" Sasuke asked, ignoring the disapproving look on Kakashi's face.

"Temari's a tough woman. I imagine that she had to be to survive this far. The Shogunate is not known for his kindness." he replied as he slowly entered the room to sit across from Sasuke.

The Uchiha grunted and returned to his scroll even though he could barely discern the numbers at this point.

"She will crack eventually. She has no choice."

"There is always a choice Sasuke."

The young man rolled his eyes at the simple platitude. Give up what you know or die was not much of a choice. She might act tough now but the girl would not choose to die. Sasuke rubbed his temple in frustration. Why weren't these numbers making any sense?

"Sasuke-san!" a panicked voice called from the doorway, snapping the room's occupants to attention. The guard was soaked from the head to toe, a worried look in his eye as he huffed to catch his breath.

"Th-there's a woman-"

 _'Hinata!'_

"She-she's demanding entrance to the outer District gate!"

Sasuke cursed himself inwardly. The guard would never refer to Hinata so unfamiliarly.

"The District is closed." he said firmly and looked back down at his scroll with a frown. Maybe if he switched over to a scroll on the academy enrollees he might be able to concentrate better.

"Sir, we said that but she's pregnant and-"

"What does that have to do with me?" Sasuke grumbled.

He'd sired no bastards and as such, the woman was a liar. That made him even less amiable to allowing her entrance.

"She's demanding an audience with the Uchiha matriarch but...Uchiha-sama's caravan left this afternoon. She's alone."

At this Sasuke finally looked up. What was a pregnant woman doing outside of his gate and demanding an audience with Hinata? As far as he knew Hinata had never left the District since she'd been brought three winters ago. The only women who would have any sort of acquaintance with her were either locked up or on the journey back to the Compound. There was the matter of Ino and Sai but there was no way that girl had become visibly pregnant so quickly.

"You are positive that she's alone?" Kakashi asked, ever wary, and the guard nodded.

"Bring her to me." Sasuke said flatly.

The guard looked shocked for a moment but didn't dare argue. He simply gave a hurried bow and rushed out of the room to fulfill his order. As his footsteps retreated down the hall, Sasuke leaned back on his seat cushion and let out a slow breath. Whatever the woman had wanted to say to Hinata would have to be told to him. It wasn't like she could do anything anyway. She was gone.

The Uchiha frown as he glanced out the window at the rain. It was beating down in sheets. They had to have stopped by now to make a shelter and rest. They wouldn't move forward in this weather would they? His mother would have had his head if she knew Hinata was out in the rain...if she had been alive that is. It had been a few months since they had found her body hanging from the ceiling of her room. Months since they had burned nearly every trace of her. Months of feeling numb...

"Sasuke-san-" the guard from before called, snapping Sasuke from his thoughts. "We have the woman."

Sasuke watched as the guard gingerly held the arm of his charge as if he feared he'd break the woman if he wasn't careful. She was a skinny woman- far too thin to be healthy- and clearly within the later stages of her pregnancy. Her wavy brown hair clung to her face and neck and he would have thought someone had tried to drown her if he hadn't known any better. She bowed to him though it was stiff and clumsy as if she'd never done it properly in her life. This woman was clearly of no status to have known Hinata so personally to demand her audience.

"Thank you for allowing me to enter Uchiha-san- I mean Uchiha-sama." she said with a voice that was too hoarse to be used.

Sasuke bristled at the woman's title for him. He was not the leader of the clan, not yet anyway. Itachi was not dead. The woman took no notice of his discomfort and instead looked curiously around the room.

"Is Hinata coming soon?" she asked, absently rubbing small circles over her stomach.

"Uchiha-sama will not be joining us." Kakashi said and the woman's brown eyes widened.

"What? What do you mean? Why can't she speak to me?"

"I believe that we should be the ones questioning you-"

"I don't understand. Where is she-"

"The location of Uchiha-sama is not something we would give to a woman that has shown up nearly drowned on our doorstep."Sasuke interrupted. "Either tell us why you seek her audience or leave."

The woman was undaunted by his threat and marched right up to the table, leaving an anxious guard to trail after her. Sasuke would give the woman credit. She may look ready to break but the woman was not weak by a long shot.

"Listen here! I did not come all this way just to get turned back around."

"And just _where_ did you come from?" Kakashi asked, now alert and all fatigue went from his voice.

The woman sniffed and covered her stomach protectively. Despite the strength it to bring her here, it appeared there were cracks.

"I came from the Hyuuga Compound or at least what's left of it." she said, her voice wavering slightly as she blinked away tears.

"The Compound?"Kakashi reiterated.

They both knew that this woman was not a member of the notoriously isolated clan. Her brown eyes alone told him that. Still what she said alarmed Sasuke.

"What do you mean 'what's left of it?'" he said.

The woman looked around worriedly and took a step back.

"I really really need to talk to Hinata. Just tell me where she is I promise I don't mean any harm. Neji used to speak so highly of her. Please."

"Used to speak?" Kakashi said, getting to his feet as well.

The woman tried to say more but this time she wasn't able to hold back her tears. Without hesitation, Sasuke abandoned his work and made his way out of the study. He had only one thought in his mind as his guards scrambled to keep up with him.

 _'Hinata.'_

"Ready my horse."

 _ **...**_

 _ **The Twentith Summer of the Hato**_

 _ **Konoha Heiya**_

 _ **...**_

How long had she been awake?

They had walked all afternoon through the shower and well into the evening. It was only when it thunder rumbled through the sky that they had stopped for the night. She suspected that they hadn't gotten far from the Uchiha territory since the men knew of a cave close by to call for a camp. There were eight of them, a much smaller party than what had carted her over Konoha when she was but sixteen years old.

Currently, they were all huddled at the mouth of the cave with the long side of her palanquin to serve as a makeshift door to keep out the elements. Unfortunately that meant they were unable to light a fire inside of the cave to keep dry and if it rained any harder Hinata was positive it would soak through her trunks and ruin whatever ever kimonos they'd taken pity to send with her. Not that she cared about that at the moment. At least she was dry. Sakura, on the other hand, had to walk alongside the guards through the rain. It was only the first day and already she was shivering.

"Sakura are you okay? We can ask them to bring a trunk." Hinata said.

If they didn't find a way to get her dry soon she could get sick. If she became sick she would fall behind and they both knew she wouldn't make the journey.

"I'm fine." Sakura said although her smile was forced. "Its really good exercise for me."

 _'I'm sorry.'_ Hinata thought as she hugged her knees close to her chest.

How had her life become this? Huddling in a cave with nothing but dirt to lay on? This was not what her father had wished for when he sent her away. He'd expected her to be brought up as a proper lady and a future powerful ally to the clan. Now just look at her. How was she going to face him? The only silver lining in all of this was that she would see her family again. Even with this black mark of shame, she knew that at least Neji and Hanabi would still love her. She could be useful to them instead of the burden she was to the Uchiha.

"How far away is the Hyuuga compound?" Sakura asked brightly, hoping to break through the depressive atmosphere of the cave.

Hinata shrugged and buried her face in her knees. The last time had taken almost a month with a larger traveling party and more elaborate palanquin. Sakura moved over from her side of the cave to sit beside Hinata. Even when her cold hand covered Hinata's the girl didn't look up.

"It's going to be alright Hinata. I promise."

 **...**

The next morning was more of the same. The rain had only slackened slightly but they had no choice but to proceed. Hinata frowned as she absently caressed her mother's necklace underneath the folds of her yukata. Beads of sweat ran down her forehead and neck.

"It's still raining pretty hard. Are you alright in there Hinata?" Sakura asked, her voice muffled by the wood. Hinata took a shaky breath and nodded even though she knew Sakura couldn't see her.

"I'm alright."

She wasn't alright. The rain was beginning to seep through the cracks in the wood and had made everything inside damp and humid. It was an impossibly hot summer morning made all the more terribly by the rain that continued to fall. Since it wasn't as harsh as the previous day, her entourage continued to press on. There were no enemies on the path that they'd chosen but they could not afford to sit around. There were other threats besides invading armies, bandits being the chief among them. Although she felt even more miserable today, Sakura was in much better spirits...or at least she pretended to be.

"Is the Hyuuga compound as big as the Uchiha District?"

Hinata was not in the mood to talk but she at least owned it to Sakura to humor her.

"I...I don't know." she replied. "We never left the inner ring."

"Oh...oh...well I'm sure that's nice too!"

Was it though? The inner ring of the compound was beautiful. It was her home but it was also a prison. Every portion of her day was regimented from the moment she opened her eyes until she closed them again. She wasn't even sure of how many people resided within their clan outside of the main family and those that worked in the inner ring. She missed her family but she didn't want to go back. She didn't want to leave.

Suddenly the palanquin was just a bit too small and the air far too heavy. Her heartbeat escalated with every jostle, her throat closing up with every step. She didn't want to leave. She didn't want to leave. Anxiously, Hinata tugged at the folds of her yukata until her fingers brushed against her mother's opal pendant. She clutched at the stone, praying that it would bring her some comfort but to no avail. Her throat tightened and her fingertips began to tingle painfully. It was too hot. Too hot.

 _'I can't breathe!'_

Frantically she beat on the door to her palanquin, desperate to get it open before she suffocated. The men immediately stopped the procession and lowered the wooden structure to the ground. It only took another second for Sakura to wrench open the door. Hinata was sure she would have spilled into the muddy earth below if her attendant hadn't been there to catch her. Desperately she clutched at Sakura's soaked sleeves as she tried to catch her breath but nothing seemed to help.

"Hinata! Hinata you have to calm down!" Sakura urged but try as she might it was no use.

Hinata heard the guards begin to panic but there was nothing they could do. There's was nothing anyone one could do to stop the world from feeling as if it were closing in on her. All around her the guards bickered back and forth before moving into a tight circle around her and Sakura with their katanas drawn outward.

If she'd been in control of herself she would have been afraid. A was threat approaching and an ensuing fight was inevitable. There was no way she had the ability to run away when she was unable to breathe. She was a liability. Useless.

Yet...

 _'Please don't send me away.'_

Faintly she registered Sakura squeezing her shoulders and fruitlessly encouraging her to breathe but just barely. Just barely. She wasn't sure what happened next but suddenly Sakura was no longer holding her. Instead, a larger pair of hands grabbed her arms and her vision was filled with the sky as her eyes rolled to the back of her head.

 _I don't want to leave._

 _I know I'm useless but please..._

 _Don't send me away..._

 ** _To be continued..._**

 _Falling sick on a journey_

 _My dream goes wandering_

 _Over a field of dried grass_

 ** _(Yosa Buson)_**

 ** _Story Rec Corner_**

 _The Flowers, the Lone Gardener, and His Wife: this fic is a different take on the whole arranged marriage fic. Its pretty angsty in parts too but there are equal fluffy parts. Its a great read!_

 _Love Goes (Like This): I'm not a huge one shot fan but this story stole my heart. I still go back and reread it just to get inspiration. It's truly a work of art._

 _Repeating the Cycle: This is another Sailor Moon fic. I absolutely love reading multipairing fics can you tell? Anyways its extremely hard to find good Sailor Moon fics but this one takes the cake. Its about what would happen if...ya know what just go read it lol._


	23. Chapter 23

**CCNote: Alright ya'll. We've officially reached the halfway mark in this story. Can you believe it? The seeds I'd planted are about to sprout and things will be A LOT faster from here on out. I love slow burn because they always turn into a conflagration that's oh so satisfying.**

 **In other news from now on please ignore Darth Tenibris and anonymous flamers. Whenever you see their hateful comments, whether it's on my story or others, write about the merits of the fic (what you like or don't) instead. Their goal is to stop new readers from clicking on a fic by spewing hate. Spread love instead ya'll.**

 **ANYWAY, thank you so much for your continued support. As always please enjoy this chapter, ignore the glaring mistakes, and don't forget to leave a REVIEW!**

 _Falling sick on a journey_

 _My dream goes wandering_

 _Over a field of dried grass_

 ** _(Yosa Buson)_**

 **Yoru**

 _ **The Twenty-seventh Summer of the Karasu**_

 _ **Uchiha Encampment**_

 _ **...**_

It was dark and stuffy within the makeshift confinement tent but anything was better than being dead. At least that's what Itachi told himself to ease the guilt that gnawed at him. If it was him...if it was his choice...

He'd rather be dead.

"Here." he said as he pulled out a small handkerchief from his sleeve and handed.

He handed the package to the man huddled in the corner of the tent. The offering went unaccepted. Itachi couldn't blame him. He wouldn't trust anything given to him by an enemy either unless it was poison. With poison, you knew that you would die. With gifts...there were always strings attached. This man knew this as well and preferred to spit at the Uchiha's feet in defiance. Itachi blinked. This was the reason he was kept away from the other prisoners. This man was a fighter to the end and had injured several of the guards that had been keeping watch over the group. Normally that behavior would spark some kind of fire in his compatriots but alas he was the lone rebel. Full bellies of rice, a ditch to piss in, and the promise of mercy kept most men docile.

"I don't want your charity." he spat.

Everyone but this man.

Itachi shrugged and retracted his hand. He then unwrapped the handkerchief to reveal a small cache of rice cakes, of which he began to eat on his own. It was bland and chewy. He would have to have a talk with the team in charge of meal preparation. It was a bit difficult to swallow the abhorrent excuse for a rice cake but he did it anyway.

"If you're just going to have a picnic, do it somewhere else." the man sneered. "Pompous Uchiha bastard."

Itachi felt the edges of his mouth twitch. 'Pompous' was a new one. Unfortunately, the small amusement he took at the insult angered the prisoner.

"Is this funny to you?" he demanded.

No, it wasn't 'funny' per se. Stewing in one's own waste was not a laughing matter.

"Are you going to speak or just keep staring at me you creepy asshole?!"

Itachi shrugged and took another bite of the rice cake. It really was a shame how bad it was. Swallowing, he put down the pack he'd had slung over his shoulder and rummaged through it. He then pulled out a flask from the bag, unscrewed the cap and washed the taste out of his mouth. The prisoner scoffed but it turned quickly into a raspy cough and his chains rattled. He needed to drink water but he'd already overturned what had been provided by his guard earlier. After taking another swig he offered the flask to the man but it was yet again rejected. No matter. Itachi took another gulp and then poured the water out onto the dirt floor.

"You're an ass." the prisoner spat.

"Yes."

Itachi saw no reason to dispute an insult that was truthful. With that, he stood up and turned to leave the tent and the prisoner to his solitude.

"So you're just going to leave like that?!" the man called out and Itachi paused but didn't look back. "Aren't you going to kill me or something?"

The Uchiha didn't reply. An alive prisoner was more useful than a dead one in his opinion but there was no reason to express that verbally. The man could think whatever way he wanted. It was the last freedom he had. Deciding that he'd had enough of delaying his original intentions, Itachi reached into his pack again and pulled out a scroll. More specifically it was one of the scrolls he'd stolen from the enemy encampment.

It was wildly inaccurate when it came to the eastern region of the nation, likely drawn by a novice cartographer who was only passingly familiar with the terrain. However, the westward chartings where they currently resided were rather accurate. All of the villages in the area, large and small, were marked with only a few miles of error to where they should be. Some of those very villages had been circled, one of which was just beyond the south side of the forest. He'd been marching his troops in that direction for weeks and the skirmishes they encountered along the way only further proved his hypothesis. He was on the right track. Unfurling the scroll, Itachi laid the map out in front of the man.

"Does this look familiar to you?" he asked and the prisoner's eyes narrowed.

"How did you get this?"

Itachi blinked and ignored his asinine inquiry.

"Yes or no?"

The man spat and it landed on the Uchiha's cheek. Calmly, Itachi wiped the fluid from his face with his sleeve.

"I will take that as a yes."

"You're not getting anything out of me Uchiha. Just go ahead and kill me already. I'm not here for your amusement."

"No. No, you are not." Itachi mumbled absently as his eyes scanned the map for his goal. Once found he pointed to a spot on the map that had been circled several times with red ink. "Is this where some of your allies are heading?"

"Fuck you."

Or as Itachi took it, yes.

That was enough for now. The village was not far from here. He would investigate further on his own. For now, he'd gotten what he'd needed. Slowly he rose to his feet and put the map back into his pack. The man rattled with his chains and Itachi made to leave, clearly surprised by the sudden departure.

"Where are you going?" he demanded as Itachi turned his back.

"That is none of your concern."

"You prideful Uchiha bastard. Kill me now and be done with it!"

Itachi ignored the man and left the tent. As soon as the flaps opened and shut the man inside began to scream. Out of rebellion. Out of insanity. Itachi couldn't be sure. Either way, he had more pressing matters to attend to. Chief among them...infiltration.

 _ **...**_

 _ **The Sixteenth Summer of the Suzume**_

 _ **Uchiha Encampment**_

 _ **...**_

There was only one way Hanabi had imagined her life to go for as long as she could remember.

"Knock..."

She was supposed to grow up to be a proper young lady. A girl lucky enough to have been born within the Main branch of the Hyuuga clan. From the moment she took her first breath she was destined to live a life more privileged than most.

"Hold it! Hold it!"

She was expected to live a life swaddled in the finest silks and kept hidden behind delicate screen doors. She would be well fed. Well cared for. Well controlled. By her father, her clan, and eventually her husband.

"Ready..."

All of it had happened exactly the way it was supposed to and yet-

"Loose!"

Their arrows shot in unison straight to the last remaining survivors of the battle. They'd tried to retreat but this time, under the Commander's orders, there was no mercy. There would be no prisoners nor runaways. Without a valley to use to their advantage, the Commander had directed her squad to fan out away from the main battle into the outer radius of the battle and take down all who managed to run away. They hid within the trees and behind boulders, lying in wait for the cowards that had managed to escape.

It was a safe but unforgiving task.

Their arrows hit their marks, each one of them finding a new home in the back of a head...the side of a neck...the bottom of a spine. One man was merely shot in his arm and he whirled around, alarmed to have been caught so far away from the main melee and so long after it had long since ended. Hanabi couldn't see his face but she knew he was afraid. He wouldn't have tried to run away if he wasn't. She pitied the man but what else could she do? One less enemy alive meant one less katana through an ally's gut. It meant one less person to bring harm to the people she cared about. It also put Itachi one step closer to ending this war before it ever reached the capital or worse the District.

Without hesitation, she grabbed the last arrow from her quiver just as the man was holding his hands up as a sign of surrender to an unseen attacker. It only took half a breath more before the projectile whizzed through the air and embedded itself in the man's heart. He fell to the ground in a pathetic heap and Hanabi lowered her bow. Absently she noted that this was the furthest she'd ever shot.

"Check them." Hanabi ordered simply and two members from their squad ambled forward to make sure that their targets were dead.

The rest of them lowered their bows and allowed their shoulders to slump. The fighting had come to an end but it had started weeks ago. Each skirmish was odder than the last with men seemingly being moved around Konoha's westward plains like pawns. Every time they knocked out one battalion and moved towards the coast they would meet another smaller force. It was seemingly never-ending but soon they would find the source and push back on their entry before they ever set foot on Konoha soil. Yet...they had to know that their men were dying in droves. Why continue to send soldiers into a battle that they would no doubt lose?

Hanabi turned back towards the aftermath of the battle and her squad followed suit. It was not her place to question the motives of an enemy. All she needed to do was put an end to it. With a signal of all clear from the squad members she'd tasked to check the dead, Hanabi turned back to where to she knew their encampment would be set up.

No, this was not at all how she'd seen her life going but here she mattered in her own small way. It was bloody and ruthless and yet...

She'd never felt more alive.

Sighing, she rolled her shoulders to ease the tension in them as she walked. Battle was invigorating...reporting, however, was not.

 **...**

"Hyuuga."

"Commander."

It was weird addressing him directly like this though he barely glanced up from the scrolls he was pouring over. Steeling herself, she stepped closer to the table and took a seat on the only other cushion across from him.

"All those who sought to retreat were dealt with accordingly." she said and he grunted distractedly in response.

It was at moments like this that she wished she hadn't drawn the short straw among her squad members. Talking to the Commander was something no one wished to do. Especially not when one day they would have to go to him with bad news if something went wrong. They were lucky in that aspect so far but he still made her nervous. The man who had sincerely thanked her for taking care of his General was gone. That small glimpse of the nice man her sister had written about couldn't even be the shadow of the Commander that sat before her. How could she ever protect someone like him? He could handle himself and if he couldn't she certainly didn't stand a chance.

"Is that all?" the Commander grunted distractedly as he rose from his seat and shuffled over to his trunk.

"Well...yes...but sir." she started, watching him carefully. He was starting to pull an unfamiliar black cloth from the trunk, one that would leave him unseen on this moonless night. She frowned.

"Commander-"

"If there is nothing more to report you are dismissed."

'Jerk.' Hanabi thought as she rose from her cushion.

She would have made a face as well since his back was turned but thought better of it. The man assuredly had eyes in the back of his head. Hanabi made to leave the tent as he'd instructed to. It was no skin off her bones to be out of his presence for a few more hours. Yet as she lifted the tent flap to leave, a feeling of guilt crept into the back of her mind. He was going somewhere. As a runaway, she knew the signs of someone leaving that didn't wish for others to know. Something was up.

'Protect him for me until I return and can do so myself.'

Dammit, Shisui.

Hanabi walked away, shaking the thought from her head. There was nothing she could do to protect a capable man like the Commander. Still, the guilt ate at her when she was only a few feet away from the tent. If something were to happen to him how would she be able to face the General when he returned? What about her sister? At that Hanabi stopped walking. If, and this was a huge hypothetical, something bad happened to the Commander her sister would be left unmoored within the District. She would be a widow and then who knew what her fate would hold. Hanabi let out a huff of frustration, blowing up an errant lock of hair on her forehead. She might be able to face the shame of inadequately protecting the Commander to Shisui but she wouldn't be able to get over the guilt of potentially ruining her sister's life.

With an arguably regrettable decision made, Hanabi turned on her heel back to the Commander's tent and hid on the side. She could still hear a bit of rustling on the inside so she could thank the Gods above that she wasn't too late. She crouched down on the side of the tent and held her breath, waiting for the Commander's inevitable emergence. When he did leave, he was clothed entirely in black from his hakama to the mask on his face. On his back, he'd strapped his katana and nothing else. Where the hell was he planning to go?

Since his tent was on the outskirts of the encampment it was a simple thing for him to slip into the forest unbeknownst to the rest of the troops. Inwardly she cursed herself and followed him. The Commander was fast, almost too fast for her to keep up with. She tracked him through the dark at a safe distance, careful to step where he did so as not to alert him to her presence. It was only by a miracle that she did not lose the man entirely. She followed behind him for what felt like ages until the trees thinned out and the famous plains of the Konoha countryside were all that could be seen for miles. When she broke through the treeline however she found herself alone.

"What the hell?" Hanabi mumbled to herself and slowly spun around.

Her target had disappeared into thin air. There was nothing but tall grass ahead and stars above. She doubted that she would be able to return to the encampment since she'd been so focused on following the Commander. She cursed herself again for not marking a path back just in case something like this were to happen.

"Now what?" she whispered and her breath caught in her throat as something sharp and cold was pressed against her throat.

"Now what indeed."

Hanabi stiffed as the blade pressed harder but not enough to break through the skin. She recognized who had found her although his voice was muffled by what she knew to be a mask.

"Well hello to you too." she replied, her sarcasm hiding her embarrassment at being caught by her target. The Commander did not remove his blade.

"Why are you following me?" he asked and Hanabi rolled her eyes.

"Why are you leaving?"

"Hyuuga."

"Commander."

Hanabi knew that she shouldn't push him. Insubordination was not something he took lightly but she'd dug herself into a hole already. Her own stubbornness would not allow her to concede. After what felt like an eternity, his blade fell and the telltale sound of it being re-sheathed met her grateful ears.

"Go back to camp." he said finally as he moved to walk past her.

Hanabi snorted and followed a few steps behind him. As if she'd return after following him all the way out here. The Commander paused and turned to glare at her from over his shoulder. It was a sight that would have sent most of his underlings scrambling away, and truth be told it unnerved her as well, but she held her ground. She looked up at him and blinked, her head cocked slightly to the side.

"That was an order to return Hyuuga." he growled.

"I know."

"Will you continue to insist on disobeying me?"

The unspoken answer was of course 'yes' but she wouldn't have been able to voice such a thing. Despite her bravado, the Commander was scary when he wished to be. His eyes narrowed menacingly before he turned back to face her fully. She swallowed thickly as he closed the gap between them and towered over her- both his size and aura ensconced with intimidation. Still, she didn't back down. To her astonishment, he was the one that did.

"Don't get in my way."

 **...**

He knew he'd made a mistake the instant he'd allowed the boy to follow him. He had to hand it to him, he'd been halfway through the forest before he'd noticed the boy's presence. With more time and training, he'd actually become quite skilled at espionage. If he didn't die first of course. However, that was where the praise stopped.

The Hyuuga was stubborn to a fault and did not listen well if at all. He had a mind of his own which was not something Itachi valued in his subordinates. Those were qualities apt to a dragon as the boy had previously claimed he was but piss poor to have in a warrior. However, he did not have time to argue with a disobedient underling. He only had a few hours left to investigate before he had to return to the encampment and he wasn't about to squander it. So he ignored his unwanted tagalong and focused on the task at hand.

According to the map and his not so verbal interrogation, this village was of some significance. If he were a gambling man- which he was not- he would be that the village was a waylay point for the enemy. There was a much larger village a week's ride away that gave access to one of the busiest ports in the Land of Fire. He was almost positive that the enemy was coming through there and arriving here before they wreaked havoc upon the land. It was but a hunch though. He could not have the entire Uchiha force swamp the village and accuse them of harboring the enemy.

If there were willingly aiding the enemy the entire village would be razed to the ground in the name of the Emperor and Shogunate. If they were merely invaded and forced to provide cover, he could not condone the spilling of innocent blood. As it stood, either case was likely and he could not move forward with the way things stood. No, he needed to be certain that his suspicions were correct. Although he had planned to investigate alone so as to lower the risk of being caught the Hyuuga at least had the decency to stay close and most importantly quiet.

As they reached the top of the hill, the grassland sloped down to show a tiny village- so small that village wasn't an accurate term. It was little more than a brief stop for most travelers between the port and the rest of Konoha. No one stayed for long. Very few put down roots. As a result, there was reportedly fewer than a score of people residing within it. Even though it was small and the hour late, something was off. It was quiet.

"Too quiet." the Hyuuga whispered to himself.

Itachi frowned. There was always someone awake. There was always a candle burning, a dog barking. Now on edge, he started to make his way down the hill towards the gates of the village. As they passed through the entrance he noted that where guards would usually be posted during a night watch there were none. Further, into the village they found no signs that it was inhabited at all. There were no cries of hungry newborns for their mothers nor were the izakayas occupied with their regulars. No stray animals scrounged through the trash. No fires burned. Tensely, he gripped the hilt his katana as his eyes scanned the empty main street. Something was off.

"Commander." the Hyuuga whispered, catching his attention and drawing him over towards a window box. "Look!"

Itachi frowned, irritated by the request but walked over to see what had grabbed the boy's attention. From a distance, it was immediately odd that the window had not been shut at night. Upon closer inspection, the window revealed a small living area left untouched. The bowls from their breakfast were still set out on the table. There was a basket of cloth ready to be mended and battered cushions waiting to be occupied by the family that resided within. All appeared normal save for the three dead bodies huddled in the corner. When he turned to the Hyuuga, the boy was already off to peer into the next house further down. Itachi crossed the street, this time to a shop window. Yet again the scene was normal except for the owner of the store bent headfirst over his counter sans his head.

He didn't need to see any more to confirm his suspicions. The enemy was close and he'd very likely lead his forces into a trap. Turning quickly on his heel, Itachi went back the way he came. It took a few moments but the Hyuuga quickly caught up to him. At least he was good at staying out of the way. Getting back to the entrance was quick work for both of them now that they didn't need to worry about waking the villagers. The bright red gates loomed brightly in the moonless sky, beckoning them through and onward to the grassy plains beyond.

As they ran, Itachi couldn't help but curse himself for his own negligence and tried to work back through the information he already knew. From the first attack, the enemy had been left unaware of their location. They were inexperienced with Konoha terrain. In subsequent skirmishes, it was clear that there were not enough of them to cause casualties on the Uchiha side. They were more nuisances than threats that increased in frequency as they neared the coast. Though small in number they were continuous which was odd seeing as how they'd defeated Kumo soundly on the last campaign. So what was their strategy now? Why slaughter an entire village of civilians? Itachi would have explored this though further but a loud shriek pierced through his thoughts, causing him to whirl towards its direction.

Behind him the Hyuuga fell to the ground, their left shoulder sliced through and bleeding profusely Itachi followed the line of where the arrow had to come from to the treeline of the forest they needed to return to. He tried to peer into the trees but to no avail. He barely took a half step back towards the Hyuuga when another arrow whizzed past him in warning and a horn sounded. Horses hooves reverberated in the distance and from the sound of it and wondered if he might be able to outrun them. He glanced down at the Hyuuga who had gotten over his shock of being shot at and was now clutching his shoulder to staunch the bleeding. Surprisingly, he straightened his back despite his obvious pain and closed the distance between them to stand as a barrier against whoever had shot originally. He then spat on the dirt as a challenge to their unseen assailant. Itachi would have laughed if the situation were not so dire with the horses' hooves coming closer and close.

"Commander." the Hyuuga whispered sharply. "I'll run straight. If you head left at the same time that might give you enough of a head start."

The Hyuuga could provide the distraction he needed to make his escape and mobilize his troops. There was no doubt that he would comply at least in this despite his previous bouts of insubordination. This he knew. Yet as the Hyuuga stood there, as dangerous as a feral kitten, Itachi knew he would not be able to trade the boy's life for his own.

His father would have called him a fool.

And...

Perhaps he was right.

"Well look what we have here. Didn't I tell you they always crawl out like vermin?"

 **...**

The men that surrounded them were difficult to distinguish in the dark but she knew that there had to be many. More than they could ever hope to fight with her being weaponless and only the Commander's katana for their defense. There was nowhere to run. Nowhere to hide. The men knew that too and circled them cockily on their horses.

"What should we do with these two?" one man said, drawing Hanabi's attention towards him.

He rode his horse with an air of arrogance and superiority although his clothing denied him such a station. The black yukata he wore had its sleeves removed to reveal slightly tanned skin, arms that had more scars than necessary for someone his age. It was difficult to gauge how old he was actually due to the purple war paint that he wore. It was supposed to be intimidating to prey but Hanabi found it to be silly. She would have told him as much if his men weren't ready to run a sword through them. As if he could hear her inner scrutiny, the man halted his horse and dismounted. He then crossed into the circle with a smirk on his purple lips.

"You are a Hyuuga." he said with a chuckle as he approached. "What the hell is a Hyuuga doing still breathing?"

Hanabi sneered but remained silent. Speaking could not only be to her detriment but to the Commander's as well. Still...his words unsettled her greatly. Behind her, she felt the Commander grow tense. He would strike if the man got any closer but, as if perceiving a threat, the man kept his distance.

"I don't think either of you has anything of value. Pity really. I might have let one of you pathetic vermin live to tell the tale of the Sand's strength if you had gold. Although..." he grinned and rubbed his chin. "My sister is currently a slave to the Uchiha's whore wife. It would only be fitting for me to take a Hyuuga as my own. Fair is fair after all."

The men in the circle grinned menacingly as they closed ranks.

"Kill the extra."

In the blink of an eye, the group dismounted from their horses with their weapons drawn. Behind her, the Commander unsheathed his katana as well and turned his back to her. Her fingertips began to tingle with anticipation for the fight to come. Close quarters combat was not her forte but her practices with Moegi and the teachings of her father would not fail her. Not now. As adrenaline coursed through her veins and the purple-faced man took a step closer, the pain in her shoulder vanished. All that mattered was the beat of her own heart and the feel of the Commander at her back.

She could do this. She no choice but to. It was either that or die and she had no desire to fulfill the latter. The purple-faced man launched himself forward and his men followed suit. Her own instincts kicked in as well as she dodged his first blow.

The was a clash of steel.

The feel of a man's gut caving from her kick.

The smell of blood.

Then everything went black.

 **...**

When Hanabi regained consciousness she found herself shivering in a place that smelled sharply of piss that had nowhere to drain and rotting wood. The tanginess of the odor invaded her nostrils and sharply reminded her of the wounds she had sustained. Not only that, wherever she was she was moving. The clip of hooves, the subtle shaking of the container she resided in, all of it told her that she was heading towards what might very well be her demise. Hanabi groaned as she tried to lift herself up but found her hands restrained behind her back. This was bad. This was very very bad. Panic began to set in as she opened her eyes but was confronted with nothing but darkness.

"It's okay." she whispered to herself. "It's okay. It's okay."

It wasn't but stating otherwise would not help her.

She took a deep breath in an act of self-soothing but immediately regretted it. The noxious odor was enough to render her unconscious again. Hanabi bit her tongue, the coppery taste of blood filled her mouth and kept her focus on more important things. She had to focus. Closing her eyes, Hanabi rummaged through her thoughts for clues as to how she'd ended up in this unfortunate situation.

She'd followed the Commander into the forest far enough that they'd reached the plains.

The villagers had been slaughtered.

They were surrounded.

The Commander fought back.

The Commander.

The Commander.

"Commander!" Hanabi gasped, her eyes flying open as she began to shake. This time it was not from the cold.

She had failed as she knew she would. She was unable to protect him as she'd promised. She'd been useless...

"Stop all that damn crying." a gruff voice hissed in the dark.

Hanabi felt her heart skip a beat in fright at the unfamiliarity. Her companion coughed. At first, it was small but soon it racked their enclosure. It was a wet and sick cough. One that she'd only heard from behind the doors of older Hyuugas that were quartered off. Frantically she rolled onto her side and struggled to right herself, grunting from the exertion and pain. Despite how much it hurt she refused to be attacked while on her back. She at least had that much dignity.

"What did I tell you about making so much noise?" the voice snapped again between coughs. "Do you have a death wish?"

Hanabi bit the inside of her to stifle her sounds. Eventually, she was able to right herself but just barely. Her companion stopped coughing.

"You said 'Commander' before." he wheezed.

Hanabi tensed but remained silent. She owed this person no answers.

"Tell me, boy...Where is my _son_?"

 _ **To be continued...**_

 _A world of dew,_  
 _And within every dewdrop_  
 _A world of struggle_

 _( **Issa)**_

 _ **Story Rec Corner**_

 _Fate Doesn't Make Mistake: A literal masterpiece. Like seriously it's amazing and worth loosing hours of sleep to read. Its a take on the Naruto get married, leaving Hinata to figure out who she is fic. It's refreshing to read so like do it._

 _(common side effects): This is a NaruHina fic and will probably be the only one I ever recommend. I'm not a fan of the pairing BUT I am a big fan of the fic. The writing is hilarious and is an interesting take on mental heath and how it effects the ones we love. Great fic and well worth your time!_


	24. Chapter 24

**CCNote : I meant to upload this sooner but life got in the way lol. Please enjoy, ignore some likely egregious errors, and don't forget to leave a REVIEW!**

 **The Taka's Dive**

 _A world of dew,_

 _And within every dewdrop_

 _A world of struggle_

 ** _(Issa(_**

 _ **The Twenty-first Summer of the Taka**_

 ** _Unclaimed Territory West of the Uchiha District_**

 _..._

Making the decision to leave the safety of the District was easy.

Finding a small group of travelers in the middle of the night was harder.

He'd never gone westward which was the direction he knew they would be headed. He knew the way to the capital in the east like the back of his hand but everything in the opposite direction was a mystery to him. It was no matter, however. The rain would not deter him and neither would his own lack of knowledge about the terrain. The only thing that did matter was getting Hinata back. He should have never listened to those impetuous elders and their schemes. Hinata did not belong with the Hyuuga.

Not anymore.

Sasuke gripped the reigns of his horse tighter and spurred it forward through the downpour until the sky lightened with the dawn. His clothing was completely soaked from the rain but as the morning passed it became more of a humid drizzle. His horse protested against slogging through the mud and heat but Sasuke persisted. He was not going back to the District empty-handed.

With a furrowed brow he pushed his horse faster up a hill to get a better lay of the land. When they reached the top he looked out and relief filled him briefly. There on the grassy plain was the familiar red palanquin he knew Hinata had departed in. Seeing it eased a bit of the fear that had manifested itself in his heart from the night before but why...why were they stopped?

Without a second thought, he spurred his horse forward at a sprint and the sound of incoming hooves alarmed his men. It didn't help that he was wearing all black and for all intents and purposes should be considered an enemy. He was only a few yards away when they assembled into a tight circle near the palanquin, ready to strike should the need arise.

 _'Good.'_ he thought. ' _At least I didn't send a bunch of idiots to protect her.'_

"Stand down." he ordered as he approached the group, simultaneous pulling off his hood to show that he wasn't a threat.

It took a second but once he showed his face the men dropped their weapons and bowed. Halting his horse, Sasuke dismounted from the beast and ran the last few feet to where the men were huddled.

"Breathe Hinata. You have to breathe!" a panicked voice urged in the center of the circle.

"What's wrong with her?" Sasuke hissed as he pushed his way through the circle.

Immediately upon hearing him Sakura looked away from the charge she had cradled against her chest. She stared back at him with wide green eyes, her mouth agape but he hardly registered her shock. His own attention was drawn to the woman in her arms, soaked to the bone and shaking. If he'd been thinking more rationally he wouldn't have acted the way he had. He wouldn't have shown such a weakness in front of his men. Decorum and respectability always seemed to fly out the window when this damnable woman was involved. He grabbed her just as she went limp in Sakura's arms and her eyes rolled into the back of her head.

The sight was so similar to his mother that he almost dropped her but she was still warm. In fact, she was burning up and growing hotter by the second. From his own limited experience, the dead and dying only grew cold. She needed a doctor and fast otherwise...

He would lose her.

She would leave him alone just like everyone else...

Reflexively he pushed some of her inky black hair off of her cheeks and neck, she shivered under his fingertips.

 **...**

"Let us through."

"I'm afraid I can't do that."

"Kakashi-"

"He wants to be alone."

"I couldn't give a damn what he wants-"

Sasuke tuned out the elders bickering on the other side of the door. He already knew what they wanted. They wished to know why he'd left the District alone and unprotected. Why he'd returned with Hinata despite their desire for her to live amongst their own kind. In their eyes, he was being petulant and irrational and maybe...

Maybe they were right.

"Her fever is coming down." the doctor mumbled as he rose from Hinata's bedside. "It's a good thing that you found her when you did."

"What's wrong with her?" he asked the wizened old man.

The doctor let out a slow breath and spared a pitying glance at his unconscious patient.

"Stress. I think, if I may be so bold sir, that the stress of leaving made her panic. Women of her constitution are fragile creatures."

Sasuke snorted. Hinata was not fragile. She was the most stubborn woman he knew though he did not go out of his way to know many of her sex. Still, the doctor's words worried him. If this was brought on by him sending her way then it was his fault that she was like this. It was his fault that she was sick. It was his fault...

"Is there anything else you need from me Uchiha-sama?" the doctor asked and Sasuke shook his head.

The doctor bowed respectfully and shuffled out of the room into a hallway that was now- thankfully- silent. When the door slid shut behind him, he was alone with Hinata for the first time in far too long. They were never truly alone often. Usually, there was one of her annoying attendants trailing after her- not that she minded. Sasuke scoffed and stared at the woman as she continued to sleep. She looked so small and pale buried underneath all of the blankets that Sakura girl had brought in. One might even think of her frail but she wasn't.

"You should wake up." Sasuke huffed as he crossed the room to take a seat beside her futon. "Do you know how annoying it is to watch you sleep?"

Of course, she didn't reply but if she had she would have blushed and mumbled something incoherent. She was weird in that way. One would have thought that three years under his mother's tutelage would have broken her of her more unique quirks.

 _'Stupid girl_.' he thought.

Or maybe he was the stupid one. The elders were correct. He shouldn't have left so suddenly, weaponless and without a guard for protection. He shouldn't be so reckless when there were people in the District that relied upon him.

But...

At that moment he knew he would have let them all burn just to get her back. It was utterly selfish and repugnant of him to be this way. His lips pulled down slightly at the corners, disgusted with himself but unremorseful.

If given the choice he would have gone after her again.

And again

And again...

What the hell was wrong with him? Even now as she slept only a few inches away from him the strange pit that he felt in his stomach had not vanished. The worry. The guilt. The anger. He'd satisfied his conscious and his obligation to his brother. She was safe within the Shiro. She was here and breathing and-

"Uchiha-sama-" Kakashi called from the door, snapping the unfortunately instated patriarch out of his thoughts. "Tenten is would like a word."

'Tenten?' He thought for a second before the name clicked. The day had grown much too long.

"Send her in."

He wasn't in the mood to talk to anyone at the moment but he would humor the woman. It was because of her that he didn't send Hinata to join her clan in whatever fate had befallen the compound.

"Uchiha-sama." Tenten said as she waddled carefully into the room.

She took a few steps closer to where he sat with Hinata but one glare from the Uchiha kept her from approaching any further. The woman glared back at him with her chin jutted a bit too high.

"I assume that Sakura has shown you to the servant's quarters." he said, returning his gaze back to Hinata.

When would she wake up? When she did...what would he say? What could he say?

"Yes. She's been very um accommodating."

Sasuke merely grunted in response, ready for her to leave so that he could be alone once more.

"Is...is Hinata going to be alright?" she asked.

"When she wakes you may tell her your message and then leave. Until then it would be best for you to make yourself scarce." Sasuke replied.

Tenten bristled at his tone. She was rather uppity for someone who was little more than a peasant.

"I don't know why you sent your wife away nor do I care about the games you noblemen like to play with women who can't do anything about it. However, if Neji knew how you treated his cousin like a toy he can get rid of when he's bored he wouldn't hesitate to gut you."

With that, she marched as best as she could out of the room and didn't bother to close the door behind her. If he'd felt any ounce of fatigue before, all of that had flown out of the room with her. What an insolent little bitch. Not even the lowest creature in the District would have dared to speak to him like that. She knew nothing about what she spoke of. He was not a nobleman playing games. He was merely trying to keep Hinata safe and at the time sending her away seemed like the best option.

The only option.

Now...what else was left?

Sasuke scoffed and brushed aside the woman's words. Her insults were baseless anyway.

"You certainly have a way with women." Kakashi coughed from the bedroom doorway, his hand on the door to shut it from Tenten's departure.

"Close the door Kakashi."

 **...**

Later that evening Sasuke found himself lounging in the former matriarch's sitting room, a few of his most important scrolls splayed out in front of him. It made him anxious to work with Hinata out of his sight but his responsibilities had waited long enough. If he didn't review all of these documents by the next morning he was sure the elders would beat down the door. So the Uchiha rubbed his left eye with the heel of his hand and wondered how they could better arm those on patrol with the weapons they currently had on hand. Though they were spread thin there was not enough iron to equip them all.

Even if there were the hands that held those weapons were so inexperienced. Little boys were not meant to go to war. He himself had never seen battle nor had he killed a man. How could he expect to order those younger than him to do the same? That fact alone was why the head of the clan were men like his father and Itachi. They were men that knew the cost of battle and had their own fair share of scars to prove it. People would follow them unquestioningly. They were trusted, respected, and feared.

He was not.

"Yo." Kakashi called from the entrance to the room with a tray in hand. "Dinner's here."

Sasuke glanced for a second at the man and his offering but returned to his scroll. He wasn't hungry.

"Ya know you should probably eat something. Life is to short to die on an empty stomach."

"Hn."

"It would be such a shame to let this food go to waste too. Those pretty kitchen girls worked so hard on it."

"You eat it then."

"If you insist." Kakashi replied, much too quickly than he should have.

Sasuke rolled his eyes as the man sank onto a cushion and set the tray down on the table. He'd likely been angling to eat his dinner the moment it had been handed over.

"Those elders of yours are going to try to talk with you again in the morning. They do not do well with being undermined."

"They will survive." Sasuke snorted and Kakashi glanced over the Uchiha's shoulder to the bedroom door behind him.

"Is she still asleep?"

Sasuke frowned but gave a short nod of his head.

"She'll be fine. A lot has happened here. It would be enough to overwhelm most people."

"I didn't ask for your opinion."

"It's the truth though."

The Uchiha glared at his scroll. This man was beyond irritating and seemed to make it his mission to remind him of that fact at every turn. How the hell had he become someone his brother trusted? As far as Sasuke knew, his brother trusted no one. Not even him. There were things his brother knew that he'd hoped would never see the light of day.

"Oh before I forget, those elders want you to review a list of potential wives before they see you in the morning." Kakashi said and Sasuke finally put down his scroll.

The older man held up his hand innocently and shook his head. The look of murder in Sasuke's eyes was scary and a little amusing.

"They are going to hound you about getting married until you finally do it." he continued and pulled out the note he'd received earlier to hand it over.

Sasuke, of course, did not accept it. At his refusal, Kakashi dropped the note and let out a sigh.

"You do realize what will happen if you continue to refuse don't you?"

"I don't need your lectures."

"No, you need a kick in the teeth."

"What-"

"Do you know what happens when people lose faith in their leaders? When the foundations of their lives are threatened with instability?" Kakashi asked as Sasuke tiredly rose to his feet.

He had no desire to continue being admonished by this man.

"Those elders do not respect you because they think of you like a child they can control. If you continue to act like one you will only prove them right."

"Guard the door. I'll deal with the rest in the morning."

Deal with it or put it off. Either way, he was not going to be lectured by a man that barely knew him. Just as he reached the door to the bedroom, however, he heard Kakashi stand up from the table.

"If you're going to have to play their games the least you could do is to make your own rules. Otherwise, you'll be their puppet and that was the last thing Itachi would have wanted for you."

Sasuke frowned at the man's words but continued on into the dark bedroom. He had no idea what Itachi would have wanted. He didn't even know if his brother was still breathing though all evidence pointed to the contrary. Slowly he shuffled over to where Hinata lay and his frown deepened. She had not moved at all in her sleep, only the slow rise and fall of her chest indicated that she was still alive. He let out a slow breath through his nose as he sank to her side.

"How much longer are you going to sleep?" he grumbled.

How much longer was he going to have to wait?

How much longer before the enemy stormed the District?

How much longer before they received the final word that Itachi was in fact dead?

With all of this mounting on his shoulders and more, he envied the woman who was able to sleep through it all. He wished that he could as well. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad to let the District crumble into ashes or the factions fight amongst themselves for power. Or he could simply marry who the elders wished for him too, be a puppet with none of the responsibility. Both ideas did not settle well with him and he felt insulted just thinking about it. Everything Itachi and his father had worked for would be worthless if he went down either of those paths.

No. He had to make sure that the District and it's people were adequately prepared if and when the enemy arrived. He had to demand the respect and submission of the elders.

He had to do things his own way.

 **...**

 _ **The Twentieth Summer of the Hato**_

 _ **Location Unknown**_

 _ **...**_

It was strange. She could hear familiar voices. Sometimes that yelled...sometimes they whispered. Though she remained in the dark she knew that she wasn't alone. It was scary to be surrounded by darkness but know that she was not dead.

No. She wasn't dead yet. A strange pressure to her hand assured her of that. It was warm like an anchor keeping her moored the world of the living and when that grip tightened...

She wished for nothing more than to squeeze back.

 **...**

When Hinata opened her eyes the first thing she noticed was that the ceiling above was not the faded and chipping red paint of her palanquin. Instead, it was the soft jade of her room. Her room. Her breath caught in her throat at that realization. There was also the soft chirping of her doves, further cementing the reality that she was home. Home.

"I'm back." she whispered though she winced at how scratchy her throat felt.

She swallowed some of her saliva to soothe the irritation and then licked her lips which were cracked. How long had she been asleep? When had she been returned? The last thing she remembered was Sakura's voice and then...nothing. Trying to recall anything more only made her head hurt.

Groaning, Hinata tried her best to sit up but was alarmed to find her right hand immobilized by another. She turned her head to the side, a move that made her brain throb within her skull, and found herself staring into bottomless black eyes.

"You're awake."

He said it so matter of factly that she couldn't tell if he were angry or relieved. Perhaps a bit of both but he had no right to feel either. He was the one that sent her away. Yet he lay by her side as if that were his place. He held her hand as if it was his to possess.

It was not.

"Sasuke." she said hoarsely. "Why?"

"You've been asleep since yesterday. The doctor says that it was stress from a panic attack."

"No."

That wasn't what she was asking. That's not what she meant. Her eyes stung as tears began to well up in her eyes.

"Why? Why did you send me away?"

The hand on hers tightened and he closed his eyes.

"Marry me."

Her breath hitched in her throat. What? Why would he ask her such a thing? Hinata weakly removed her hand from his and rolled over onto her other side to face the wall. The headache she had upon waking was becoming more prominent.

"Itachi isn't dead." she whispered. "He's not."

"I know."

"Then...why?"

Sasuke did not care for her. From the very first day they'd met he'd made clear his disdain for her very presence within the Shiro. At times it was almost as if he hated her. His order for her to be sent away was hurtful but not entirely outside the realm of what he was capable of. His current request to marry him was...baffling.

Hinata held her breath as she waited for a reply but Sasuke remained silent for a long time. Even his breathing was nearly imperceptible. The only sound that permeated the room was a small flapping of wings and her own thundering heartbeat. It wasn't until the cotton of his yukata rustled against the tatami that he spoke.

"Think about it." he said and swiftly left the room.

As soon as the shoji door slid shut, the tears she'd been holding back finally fell. She hurt all over. Her body. Her heart. Everything was a muddle of confusion that she just couldn't untangle. One minute she was a burden that Sasuke couldn't wait to get rid of. The next he desired her to be his wife but...

Itachi was not dead.

He wasn't

He couldn't be.

He'd promised to return and even if it wasn't with her sister she would be grateful to see him again. To show him that she wasn't afraid and she could be a good wife. She was supposed to be his wife, not Sasuke's. So why...why would he ask her to become that? Hinata bit her bottom lip, ignoring the damage that had already been inflicted, just as the door to her room opened again. She didn't roll over, expecting to hear Sakura's cheerful voice at any minute.

"Hinata Uchiha-san...sama? I-I'm not really sure what to say here?"

Hinata opened her eyes and rolled onto her back. That certainly wasn't Sakura. She tried to sit up but her visitor shuffled awkwardly over the tatami to stop her. The person grunted heavily as they took a seat where Sasuke had once been and pressed a hand on her shoulder.

"You don't have to get up for me. It's okay." the person said nervously.

Hinata stared at her visitor or rather the woman. She was utterly unfamiliar to her. Big brown eyes and even darker brown hair tied up in two buns. There were dark circles under her eyes that belied the smile on her face. Hinata would have thought her pretty if she didn't look so worn.

"Who are you?" Hinata asked softly and the woman's smile widened a bit.

"My name is Tenten." she answered and Hinata tried to wrack her brain to see if she knew anyone by that name.

She did not. Of the women she did know one was locked away, another was on the run, and the last one she hoped was somewhere within the Shiro. Hinata licked her chapped lips and continued to stare at the face of the woman that hovered at her side. She seemed nice enough but...

"How...how do you know me?"

She prayed that the woman didn't take offense to the question.

"Neji used to speak highly of you and Hanabi. He loved you both very much."

Hinata blushed and a small smile formed on her lips. She missed her cousin greatly. To hear his name from the mouth of another made her heart flutter slightly.

"How is he?" Hinata asked, her smile faltering. "He... he hasn't responded to any of my letters."

At this question, Tenten's face fell and the fatigue she was hiding became front and center. Her brown eyes closed and she bowed her head.

"So you really haven't heard." she whispered. "Neji...Neji is dead."

... _Tenten frowned as she paced back and forth in the small backyard of her home. Neji had promised to meet her here two weeks ago and he never ever broke a promise. So she'd waited for him patiently until the sun set and rose again. Each night she waited for him to return to her arms like he'd done when he was married and every night before that. He promised._

 _The brunette looked up at where the moon should be and sighed at the fact that it too was absent on this night. Neji. The moon. Her cycle. All of it reminded her of the news that she needed to share._

 _Absently she pressed a hand to her flat stomach. It was likely too soon to feel anything but she knew that a life was there. A new life. A child that would share a piece of herself and Neji. The discovery frightened her. She'd had her suspicions well before Neji had told her of his marriage to his cousin. She'd kept quiet though, nothing good could come from siring a bastard to a man about to be married- especially not one ascending to the head of a clan. She was nothing more than a weapon's master's daughter. There was not a penny to her family's name. Even the steel they worked with was not their own. It was better to pretend like nothing was wrong like there wasn't an entire human growing inside of her._

 _However, every day that passed reminded her of the blood that hadn't come and the sickness that overtook her at the oddest of hours. She would not be able to keep this a secret for long...A rustle in the bushes brought her back to the present and she looked up expectantly. Neji emerged from the brush in a rush, the haggard look on his face immediately alerted her to the fact that something was very very wrong._

 _She was barely able to utter his name before he wrapped his arms around her and pressed close to her. It was not an unwanted gesture but definitely surprising. Neji, as much as she cared for him, was not the most affectionate person._

 _"Neji, what's wrong?" she asked, pushing away from him slightly so she could get a good look at his face._

 _His lips were pressed together in a tight line and his brow was furrowed. She'd been correct in her initial suspicions and it made her stomach churn._

 _"My uncle was murdered."_

 _"What? When?"_

 _No one would dare to harm the former Hyuuga Head. Then again...the orders for weapons had been picking up for some time since the last winter and they'd stopped two weeks ago. She and her father had thought nothing of it but now..._

 _"The night of my...wedding...that's when it happened." he said through clenched teeth as he let her go. He then attempted to run a hand through his hair but it was too tangled. "Half of them think she did it. The other half think I did."_

 _"I-I don't understand. Who is she?"_

 _"Hanabi. They think she killed my uncle but I don't think so Ten, I know that she wouldn't do that. She might have been an unwilling participant in our sham of a wedding but she loved him." Neji said as he paced back and forth. " You should have seen her when they were in the dojo. You would have thought the sun shone out of my uncle's ass. She respected him. She would have never killed him."_

 _"And some of them..." Tenten started nervously. As the news settled in her mind she knew that there was no turning back. "They think that you were the one that killed him. Just bring me to the main house. I...I can vouch to your innocence."_

 _"With what proof? The elders will not believe someone like-"_

 _He stopped himself verbally and physically. They both knew what he'd been about to say. Someone like her. She was a nobody. Her status was little more than a peasant since she and her father were outsiders that subsisted off of the clan. She was not ashamed of it but Neji...his life was not his own. Tenten tried to smile but it looked like more of a grimace._

 _"It wouldn't hurt to try...and besides," she said, reaching for his limp hand and pulling him closer to place the palm on her stomach. "There will proof enough in a few more moons."..._

...Hinata gasped and sat upright. Sure enough, the woman before her was well rounded with child, both of her arms laying protectively over her belly.

"You...and Neji-nii-san?" she whispered reverently. "Why? How?"

The brunette nodded, a blush spread over her cheeks as she tried to blink back tears.

"He was sent by your father one day to pick up a custom blade. He returned out of an act of rebellion. He kept coming back because...because I'm not sure why. I wasn't very nice to him actually and he wasn't the best company."

Hinata chuckled, recalling how stoic her cousin could be even to her. He hardly allowed anyone to get close to him. Yet here was this woman carrying his child...a child that would never know him. Her smile immediately fell at that realization and she closed her eyes.

"What happened to Neji?" she asked and Tenten let out a long breath.

"He sent me away...to you. Hinata. The main and branch families were tearing themselves apart over Hiashi's death. He came that night to tell me that it was no longer safe and when I told him about the baby well...he said to seek your protection. I didn't want to leave but they hung him the next morning for treason. I snuck out from the outer ring on my own that night...my father refused to join me. He sided with the other branch members that wanted revenge."

"No." Hinata whimpered.

She knew that the caste system within the clan was unfair but no one had ever sought to overturn it. Things were the way they'd always been. Hinata shook her head woefully. How could this have happened?

"Hanabi. Where is Hanabi?" she asked frantically though by the look on Tenten's face she knew there was no good news to be had.

"She disappeared the night she and Neji got married. No one has seen her since."

Hanabi was missing. Her father had been murdered and her cousin hung falsely for the crime. The clan was in the midst of a civil war as far as Tenten knew. Everything about her life was gone. Here she was feeling upset that they wouldn't return her letters and they...they had been fighting for their lives. Hinata buried her face in her hands but she couldn't cry. She couldn't do anything except feel numb.

"Hinata...I...I hate to ask you this but can I stay here?" Tenten asked and Hinata's head snapped up. The woman looked sheepish as she stared down at her belly and ashamed to even ask for refuge. "I will only stay until the baby is born and then I'll be on my way, I promise."

"No." Hinata said sharply as she reached out and touched the woman's shoulder. "You and the baby will stay here, with me. Neji sent you here because he trusted me with a person- people who are precious to him."

"Are you sure?" she replied nervously. "I...don't think my presence is welcome here, least of all by your husband."

"My...husband?"

Hinata paused. Itachi was gone, there was only Sasuke left here.

 _'Marry me.'_

His words from earlier floated through her ears and a chill ran down her spine.

"Don't worry about Sasuke. He's not my...husband."

This time it was Tenten's turn to appear shocked. Her mouth fell open slightly as if to refute her claim but swallowed her words. For that Hinata was grateful.

"I'll speak to Sasuke on your behalf. I will protect you, both of you."

 _ **To be continued...**_

 _...lifting my cup_

 _I asked the moon_

 _to drink with me..._

 ** _(Li Po)_**


	25. Chapter 25

**CCNote : Wow! This fic has ALMOST reached 700 reviews. We are only three short but because of the continued love from you all, I'm releasing this chapter early so show my appreciation. Can y' all believe that we've made it this far? I sure as hell can't. I'm really happy that so many people continue to support this story. The pay off for your patience will be worth it. **

**ANYWAYS please enjoy this chapter, ignore my mistakes, and don't forget to leave a REVIEW!**

 **Power**

 _...lifting my cup_

 _I asked the moon_

 _to dink with me..._

 ** _(Li Po)_**

 _ **The Twentith Summer of the Hato**_

 _ **Uchiha Shiro- West Wing**_

 _ **...**_

 _"Hanabi be careful!" Hinata called from the covered deck._

 _The aforementioned seven-year-old grinned from the branch she'd managed to gain purchase on. All that could be seen of her were pale little legs that had been scratch up by a handful of previous climbing attempts._

 _"I'm going to get to the top this time just watch!"_

 _"Hana!"_

 _"Let her go." Neji sighed, tired out from the summer heat and a rather intense training session with her father._

 _"B-but she could h-hurt herself."_

 _He did not share her worry as he leaned casually against a post with his arms crossed and a smirk._

 _"A few scraped knees will teach her a valuable lesson."_

 _"N-n-neji-nii-san!"_

 _"Hey look at me!" Hanabi shouted from the tree._

 _She hung upside down by her knee, her orange kimono bunched up to her skinny thighs and her arms waving freely to the spectators. She giggled excitedly at her new feat but was the only one amused. All of Neji's calmness vanished an in an instant and he quickly ambled down the deck stairs to the tree._

 _"Get down from there Hanabi!"_

 _"Make me!"_

 _'So much for scraped knees being good.' Hinata thought with a smile and ran to catch up with Neji._

 _One of these days Hanabi was going to put both of them in an early grave..._

...Today was just as calm and beautiful as that day had been but her mind held none of it's warmth. The sun was high in the sky when she finally felt she had enough strength to get out of bed. It was mostly thanks to Sakura that she was even able to achieve such a feat. The young woman had been ardent in her attention the moment she was allowed to enter the room and hadn't left her side since. Hinata appreciated the care but a small part of her felt uneasy. Sakura had not been permitted to attend to her for two days outside of helping her to wash.

She bit her lower lip as they took a slow walk around the immaculate courtyard gardens, lost within her own memories of the darkness. There had been someone there. She hadn't been alone while she slept unless...

' _Marry me.'_

She should have told him no right then. She should have told him that she hated him for sending her away, that he was terrible for even asking such a thing.

"Sasuke." she whispered and Sakura tightened her grip on her arm.

"What was that?" Sakura asked, her smile as bright as ever. "Hey, do you want to sit down? You're looking a little pale."

Hinata would have corrected her to say that she always looked pale but she was not going to decline the opportunity for respite. Sakura quickly led them to a stone bench beneath a shady tree and they both let out a sigh of relief.

"It's such a beautiful day, isn't it? Much better than before." Sakura mused, her face upturned to the clear blue sky.

"I suppose."

Hinata really didn't care about the weather. If it were perfect or abysmal it didn't matter. Everyone she loved was either missing or dead. Her heart ached in her chest for the ones she would never see again. At least not in this life. Her mother who gave birth to her and the one that had taken her in. Her father who had raised her to the best of his ability. Her cousin that protected her and her sister that inspired her beyond her wildest dreams. Her husband...

How had she managed to remain naive for so long? She was so sheltered here in the Shiro while everyone she cared about was struggling. It was only a matter of time before she heard even more bad news and she would be useless to help. Help. Her mind snapped back to the present, the guilt that had been lingering within her mind finally pressing it'self to the forefront.

"Sakura." she said sharply and green eyes turned to her to give their full attention. "Where is Temari? Has she been released yet?"

The pinkette nervously looked away and fiddled with her fingers.

"No. The only people allowed near her are Kakashi and the guards. Sasuke refused to let me attend to her when I asked. He's been very...short tempered lately." she said despondently.

Hinata frowned. If Sasuke had abused Sakura in any way she would not let it slide. His temper, when turned on herself, was one thing, snapping at those she cared about was a totally different story. Not only that, but he'd also been brusque with Tenten and made her believe that she was unwelcome here. All of that together did not bode well for her opinion of him. She would have questioned her companion more but suddenly the girl's face lit up with a small smile.

"Don't worry though I have seen her!"

"What? How?"

"Well...Kakashi let me in to talk with her last night. I don't think he agrees with Sasuke and completely isolating her. It's not like she's done anything wrong."

"Kakashi? Will he let me in to see her as well?"

Sakura shook her head and her smile broadened.

"He doesn't have to. Now that I know where she is and how to get in, I'll take you there myself tonight."

This time it was Hinata's turn to smile at her beaming friend.

"Thank you, Sakura."

"Oh! Don't thank me! You'll make me blush!"

 **...**

Sakura had not been kidding when she said that she knew how to gain access to Temari without the aid of Kakashi. The place her attendant was being held was well guarded with armed guards posted by the doors and windows. Why so many men were needed to watch someone as harmless as Temari, Hinata would never know but the sight unsettled her. It was cruel to lock someone innocent of any crime up like this. Since the visible entrances were inaccessible to them, she followed Sakura into an adjacent hallway of the Shiro. They then came across a room and slipped in. Inside of the room, there was nothing save a large and rather ugly tapestry that hung on the wall.

"Right through here is a passage that leads to Temari!" Sakura whispered proudly as she grabbed Hinata's hand and led her to the tapestry.

"Sakura, wait-" Hinata replied hesitantly. "Why did Kakashi tell you how to access Temari?"

Kakashi- though her knowledge of him was limited- did not seem like the type of man to easily trust others. His eyes were always scanning the room as if he were prepared for the sky to crumble upon their heads at any moment. Since he was a calculating many wouldn't he suspect Sakura of trying to help Temari escape? Why give her such privileged access? At her question, Sakura just smiled and waved off the concern.

"He thought that I could convince her to talk. I don't know what she's supposed to say but he thought I could help I guess. Something about flies and honey."

Flies and honey. Kakashi was definitely up to something but she would archive that fact away for later. Right now she needed to check on Temari and see if she was alright. Resolute in her task, Hinata followed Sakura up to the heavy tapestry where she pulled it aside to reveal a simple wooden door. Sakura then opened the door to a dark, stuffy hallway that they stepped into. Hinata pressed her hand against the cold stone of the hallway's left wall and shivered. Despite the fact that it was still hot everywhere else in the Shiro, it was positively freezing here. Fortunately, the bite of the cold was cut slightly by Sakura's hand snaking into her own and holding tightly.

"It's just a short walk, don't let go of my hand."

"I won't."

Down into the darkness, the two went. It grew colder with every step and the dark became increasingly oppressive. Hinata would not be surprised if Temari had become broken while being locked away for so long. Alone with nothing but her own thoughts and Kakashi's interrogation.

'This.' she decided as they came to a stop. 'Is unacceptable.'

There was a soft click of a key and the lifting of a latch before Sakura opened a door to reveal a small, dimly lit cell. The only light offered to them came through a dirty window that was too high to look out of and too small to escape through. The state of the room was not as horrid as she'd expected. It was cramped but clean, a futon folded neatly in the corner and a basin that must have recently been emptied because there were no foul odors. Temari had her back to them when they opened the door but she visibly tensed at the sound of their footsteps.

"Did you bring reenforcements Kakashi?" the blonde sneered, still as defiant as ever. The sound of her voice made Hinata's heart skip a beat with a strange mix of envy and admiration. If she'd been locked away like this she would have gone insane.

"Temari." she said softly and the woman immediately spun around.

"Hinata?" she gasped before narrowing her eyes at Sakura. "You brought _her_ here?"

Sakura took a step back, slightly cowed by Temari's brusque question, and crossed her arms over her chest.

"She _wanted_ to see you."

Temari's shoulder's slumped, dumbfounded by Sakura's words. Hinata took a step forward and nodded.

"It's true. I wanted to see you. I'm so sorry."

"For what?" Temari scoffed. "It's not your fault."

No, it wasn't but she still felt responsible. Temari, Ino, and Sakura belonged to her. Their well-being rested on her shoulders as their mistress. She should have never allowed Sasuke to treat them the way he had.

"I'm going to get you out of here. I promise." she said.

A light of hope came to Temari's eyes. A small quirk of her lips. Yet she turned away and faced the wall once more.

"I believe it's best for me to stay here." she whispered but her words rang clear in the small room.

"What?" Sakura scoffed. "How could you say something like that? Hinata went through the trouble of coming here to see you and I told you before that she was unwell-"

"Its better for her if I stay here."

"No, it's not."

"Don't argue me on this Sakura."

"You're being an idiot!"

"Stop fighting! That's an order!" Hinata said breathlessly and the two women turned to her in surprise. Never before had she ordered them to do anything. Though her voice was shaky she was positive that Mikoto would have approved.

"Now, please...Temari, what is going on? Why has Sasuke put you here?"

The woman in question bit her bottom lip, unsure of whether to be honest or not. Hinata watched as Temari fought internally with herself, patiently waiting for her to come to a conclusion. When she did, she leaned against the wall and let out a huff.

"I am not a slave." she said finally. "I am but I'm not. Not like Ino and Sakura. I was given to you as a wedding gift from Danzo, from his house to yours."

"Danzo?" Hinata said, confused as to why he would send Temari as a 'gift'.

Temari smiled darkly, her gaze falling to the ground.

"I was meant to be a reminder that he would come to take what was his. He had an interest, or really an obsession, with the late matriarch."

"He was coming for her when the time was right. I was just supposed to make sure she didn't escape but I don't think he factored in a suicide. He probably banked on her love more than her fear. Stupid man, not everyone behaves as you might expect them to and now look at the mess he made."

It was strange to hear Temari speak so cavalierly about the situation. So detached but integral. Her own heart twisted with uncertainty and a twinge of distrust.

"Are you loyal to Danzo?" she asked and the woman's eye's immediately jumped up to meet her own.

"Of course not."

"Then why would you be a-a 'reminder' for him?"

"It was either that or remain in his bed. I chose the former because he is a sick man but at least I'd be free of him until my family caught wind of the broken agreement."

Danzo.

Broken agreement.

Spying.

Then it hit her. Temari's family was coming for her. They were who Itachi had been fighting against. They were the reason he was likely dead.

All of it was too much for Hinata to process at once, especially after the last few days she'd had. The cold stone walls of the room felt as if they were closing in on her but she shut her eyes and struggled to breathe. She was not going to faint again. She refused. Sakura quickly came up to her side as if sensing something was wrong and Temari pushed up from her position on the wall.

"Hinata-" she started but the smaller woman shook her head.

"You are not loyal to Danzo?" Hinata asked, swallowing her anxiety and distrust.

"I have never been." Temari answered firmly. "That's why he sent Sai."

"Sai?" Sakura repeated and Temari nodded.

"I should have been making sure Mikoto returned Danzo's letters but I didn't. I never intended to fulfill my end of the bargain once I was safely here. After a while, he must have caught on and sent Sai to check up on the situation."

Hinata frowned as she let this new piece of information wash over her. Sai had said that Mikoto had sent for him but according to Temari that was just a ruse. A very simple one at that. Now Sai had disappeared with Ino in tow likely back to Danzo with the news that the former Uchiha matriarch was dead.

But why?

Why was Danzo so desperate to keep an eye on Mikoto? Why would he use Temari in such an underhanded way? None of it made any sense. Slowly, she took a deep breath and took a step out of Sakura's steadying embrace.

"Tell me everything and I promise to get you out of here."

 **...**

 _'Marry me.'_

She didn't want to.

 _'Think about it.'_

She hadn't really, at least not when it came to her own benefit. Yet there were things she could only accomplish as a true Uchiha matriarch. Right now she was no one, freely disposed of if the powers that be wished for her absence. If she had power they couldn't send her away. If she had true authority then she could accomplish something.

"Would you like to go inside?" Kakashi asked and Hinata immediately snapped out of her own thoughts.

His dark eyes twinkled knowingly at her thought what exactly he knew was a mystery. Hesitantly she nodded her head and she was almost positive the man was smiling behind his mask. He stepped aside to allow her space to move forward but not without a parting word.

"Sasuke is a bit...testy today. Tread carefully."

'Testy. Got it.'

Squaring her shoulders, Hinata slid open the door to the patriarch's and slipped inside. Sasuke was sitting at his father's- no his desk and was drowning in scrolls all pertaining to the clan. He didn't look up when she entered nor when she approached. It wasn't until she cleared her throat that he even acknowledged the fact that he was no longer alone.

"Yes?" he mumbled distractedly and Hinata frowned.

"I have an answer for you."

This time he looked up, mildly surprised to see her standing before him. He leaned back slightly on his cushion and studied her intently.

"You look better from this morning." he mused. It was probably meant to be a compliment but it came off as awkward. Brushing the comment aside, Hinata took a step forward before she lost all of her nerves and ran away.

"I will marry you." she started and Sasuke's dark eyes widened a fraction. "But I have conditions."

The Uchiha smirked and leaned forward, resting his chin on his fist.

"Conditions?"

"Yes." she replied firmly though on the inside she was anything but."First, Tenten will be allowed to remain within the Shiro and her child when it is born."

Sasuke gave her a slow nod, his mind likely working out a rationale to accept her wishes. It eased the tension in her shoulders just a bit.

"She is carrying what is likely the last Hyuuga and if not the last then the heir to the clan. That could be useful later." he mused and Hinata bit her tongue.

Her cousin's child was not a pawn! However, she remained silent. She would cross that bridge when it happened at least for now she could assure their safety.

"Alright. They may stay-"

"For my second conditon," Hinata said, launching straight into what else she wanted. "Release Temari to me."

Her request hung heavily in the air. Whatever charity Sasuke had been willing to give before had vanished. Still, she pressed on.

"If having the heir to the Hyuuga is useful in the future, having the Sunagakure's daughter is even more so now."

It felt dirty to say such things, to think this way. Sasuke, surprised by her knowledge but still unconvinced, frowned.

"Hinata-"

"Just...just hear me out. At some point, the Sand will come here for her. If she is locked away in a cell they will ransack the place until they free her but if she speaks well of our clan and treatment-"

"They will not stop a campaign because of a woman's words."

"But they started one because of that same woman."

Sasuke's nostrils flared slightly and he looked away. Hinata approached him cautiously, this request was not something he would grant easily but she wouldn't give up.

'You don't realize the power you hold.'

Maybe Temari was right or maybe she was wrong. In either case, she'd promised to protect her. Temari. Tenten. Neji's child. She would not back down from her word. Sinking down to sit beside him, she boldly took his free hand into her own. Although he flinched slightly when she touched him he did not pull away entirely which was a relief.

"Sasuke..." she said softly. "There are things Temari knows, things that might help us to protect the clan. Locking her away will not make her help us. "

The Uchiha narrowed his eyes at her and leaned in closer. Those onyx eyes of his were intimidating, mesmerizing, and impossible to look away from.

"We can not rely on the words of a spy. Every word she's said to you up to this point has been a lie yet you expect me to trust her-"

"No. I want you to trust me."

"Hinata." Sasuke snapped. "That woman will be your death."

Hinata felt her breath hitch in her throat and gave the hand she possessed a squeeze.

"I will not die."

He was irritated by her stubbornness, this she knew but she didn't budge. Sasuke slid his hand out from hers and returned to the scroll he'd been reading when she walked in.

"As the newly instated clan Head, I will sign your annulment and state my intentions for your hand formally before the elders in the morning."

Hinata gaped at him.

"But my conditions-"

"Will be met in full after the wedding at week's end."

After the wedding. It was difficult to hear such words said aloud. Hinata closed her mouth and swallowed as she let it all sink in. By morning she would be a divorcee. A few days later she would be remarried. It felt...dirty. She bit her lower lip and reluctantly nodded to acknowledge Sasuke's plan. If she were to say anything at the moment she would likely burst into tears.

Slowly she stood up and bowed again before taking her leave of the room. Once on the other side she finally allowed her shoulders to slump, the weight of her responsibility and promises finally bearing down on her in full. Had she done the right thing? She wanted to protect the people she could but was this the right way to go about it?

Giving up on Itachi...binding herself to Sasuke...

"Uchiha-sama." a distracted voice said, causing Hinata to squeak with surprise.

She turned to her left to see Kakashi lazily posted by the door with a scroll in one hand and his chin in another. He eyes never left the scroll but Hinata knew that he would be ready to pounce at a moments notice if need be.

"Kakashi-san, good evening." she said with a short bow of her head though he never spared her a glance.

"You did well." he replied as he rolled up his scroll. "Most of the women I know do not see fit to involve themselves in what may be politically expedient. Those that do seek only to do so to benefit themselves."

"You were listening?"

It was wrong for someone to eavesdrop on the conversations of others, especially one as private as this. Kakashi smirked, or at least she thought he did by the way his eyes crinkled upward.

"I meant no disrespect to you Uchiha-sama but my priority is Sasuke's safety."

"I am not a threat." she said, now offended by the man who appeared to not take anything seriously. He shook his head and straightened his stance.

"No...if anything you will be an asset."

 **...**

By the next morning, the elders were informed of Sasuke's intentions.

By that afternoon the entire Shiro knew and in the evening word had spread throughout the District.

The pale eyed Hyuuga woman had beguiled the younger Uchiha into keeping her. She was an unfaithful whore to her husband whose body was rotting in a field somewhere. She was a greedy witch who couldn't stand the thought of giving up the title of matriarch despite the fact that she was barren. Or worst of all Sasuke had taken pity on her because she'd begged him to.

Hinata tried to ignore all of the whispers and rumors and instead focus on her most pressing tasks. From preparing for her second wedding to assembling a space for Tenten and her baby, there was a lot to distract herself with. When the day of her wedding drew upon her with the rising of the sun it felt as if she hadn't had a chance to breathe.

Her second wedding was the same as the first. They drank sake from the same cup. She vowed herself to him. Her loyalty. Her heart. He said the same. In many ways, it was the same as before but also different. She did not wear a white kimono, instead opting for black to signify mourning. There were no congratulatory cheers for them when they left the shrine. Instead, they walked back to the east wing together in silence.

There Sasuke led her to his new chambers where his father and every patriarch before him resided. The door to his room was at the very end of the wing, ornately painted in the colors of the clan. On either side, the guards that were posted bowed deeply before opening the double doors. Hinata barely registered when the doors shut as the anteroom they'd entered was more elaborate than she'd imagined. Three doors led off from the anteroom, one of which she assumed to be the bedroom but she had no clue where the other two led.

The anteroom itself was spacious, in fact, it was twice the size of her own through the dark wood walls gave it a more intimate feel. Red cushions and silks littered the room and she wondered how one man would ever have the need to have so many. Pushing the decor from her mind, Hinata followed Sasuke through the center door and into a small sitting room. In the middle of the room was a small round table and laid upon it was the wedding feast they would have partaken in had this been a celebratory occasion. Sasuke gestured for her to sit and she did so but she knew she would be unable to eat. She reached for the large bottle of sake instead and as she'd been taught she poured a saucer for Sasuke. Her new husband downed the contents before she'd brought her saucer to her lips.

Husband.

It was odd to think of Sasuke that way. She poured him another drink, this one he drank more slowly. As she took a sip from her cup, wincing slightly at the harsh taste, she glanced out of the corner of her eye at the man she'd married. He was handsome despite the furrowed brow and near permanent frown. His normally messy black hair had been pushed back for the occasion, rendering his dark eyes more prominent and it's glare potent. Hinata looked away and downed the rest of her drink in one gulp.

This time as she reached for the sake, Sasuke's fingers brushed against her own. She pulled away, her face flushed with embarrassment and he proceeded to pour sake into her cup. She accepted it gratefully and hoped that by drinking more it might calm her nerves. It did not. When half of the bottle had been emptied amongst the two of them, Sasuke awkward cleared his throat.

"Come," he said and she swallowed nervously at the command.

Hinata set her cup on the table and allowed him to lead her out of the sitting room and into the bedroom. The room contained a futon twice as big as her own and already turned down for the night. The curtain had been drawn, candles lit and casting the space in a warm glow. She stood, patiently waiting for him to untie her obi. When the stiff black material fell to the floor, her kimono loosened to reveal a sliver of the first layer of white silk beneath it. He then pulled the black outer layer off of her shoulders and she allowed it to join the obi in a pool at her feet.

Warm lips brushed against the back of her neck, hesitant and fleeting. As he kissed her, Hinata reached up to her front to untie the stiff sash underneath her breasts. Her fingers trembled as the fiddled with the tie, the sensation of being kissed as she did so was odd as distracting. Sasuke, however, did not rush her since he was seemingly content to move from her neck to the shell of her ear. Once she'd successfully untied the sash, he pulled at the stiff white collar and her nagajuban loosened and fell to the floor.

Now left in her final and thinnest layer, she walked over to the futon and sat down with her back to her companion. Hinata closed her eyes and listened to the sound of him undressing, his silk joining hers. She tried to focus on removing all of the pins from her hair. One by one she fished them out and her long hair fell down her back. She would have sighed at the release if she hadn't been so nervous but she was. Her fingers were shaking so bad that she was sure she missed a few pins. Sakura would have to find the hangers-on in the morning. If the girl was willing to speak to her that is. Once she gave up on trying to find them all she laid down on her back and closed her eyes just as Sasuke sat down on the futon. She held her breath and waited for him to proceed but he didn't.

"Look at me." he said and reluctantly she complied.

It was odd being in a state of undress with him. He'd seen her exposed before but this was different. Her breath hitched in her throat as Sasuke moved over her. He stared at her intently, his dark eyes boring into her own as if he were attempting to read her mind but he couldn't. If he could then he would have known how scared she was. How insecure she was with her own skin. How small and insignificant felt.

He would have known but he didn't.

She wondered as she stared back at him, what he might be thinking...how he felt. Was he as nervous as she was? Had he done this before? She wanted to ask him these things but her mouth refused to move. Talking especially became a non-option when his eyes shifted from hers to her mouth. When he kissed her it was unlike the chaste kiss they'd shared within the shrine. It was soft and warm and made goosebumps rise on her skin. Was this what kissing was supposed to feel like? Would Itachi have kissed her like this? At the thought of Itachi, her heart clenched painfully and she broke the kiss, turning her face away.

Unaware of her guilt, Sasuke proceeded to kiss down her jaw to her neck. His lips left trails of fire in their wake. Right at the junction of her shoulder and neck, his teeth and tongue were added to his ministrations. Hinata gripped the sheets beneath her and held her breath. While she gripped the sheets, one of his hands moved to tug open her hadajuban.

Now exposed to the cooler air of the room, her nipples hardened. Instinctively she let go of the sheets to cover her breasts and womanhood but Sasuke stopped her. He took both of her wrists into his hand and held her arms above her head. It was a move that exposed her to him completely, his eyes trailing over her body as if he wished to commit the sight to memory. It was strange to have him look at her in such a way and when she flushed it was not due to shame. She wasn't sure how she felt but further exploration was ceased when he lowered himself against her and took one of her nipples into his mouth.

"Sasuke!" she gasped.

He lapped at the bud, teasing it with his tongue to harden it further. Once he was satisfied with one he moved to the other and did the same. Sasuke then let go of her wrist to squeeze her breast not occupied by his mouth. His hands were calloused and warm and sent a shot of that unfamiliar feeling straight to a lower part of her body. He shouldn't be doing this. The women in the Compound had said nothing of this when it came to laying with a man. They never said her body would grow this hot or be this strange.

"Sasuke-" she pleaded, squeezing her thighs together in an attempt to stifle the heat between them.

The man in question smirked against her breast before releasing her enough to look at her.

"You're very sensitive Hinata." he said, his words slightly slurred now that all of the sake he'd drank was catching up to him.

Perhaps the heat between her legs was due to the sake she'd drank as well. That had to be it. It had to be because when he kissed her again this time she didn't move away. When he touched her, she arched against him and when he spread her legs...

She let him in.

 _ **To be continued...**_

 _So raising the cup I invite the Moon,_

 _Then turn to my shadow,_

 _Which makes us three._

 ** _(Li Po)_**


	26. Chapter 26

**CCNote: First off, happy start of Golden week! Second, WOW! I was not expecting that reaction to the last chapter. I'm glad so many of you enjoyed it! As thanks for the reviews, here's an early update.**

 **In other news, someone asked if I'd consider writing a book and the answer is yes. This fic is a story I hope to work into its own novel one day. The names and cultural elements will be tweaked of course but the gist of the story will be the same but expanded. The end, however, is set in stone and I can't wait for y' all to read it!**

 **ANYWAY please enjoy, ignore my follies and foibles, and above all else don't forget to leave a REVIEW.**

 **Tatamae**

 _ **The Seventeenth Summer of the Suzume**_

 _ **Location Unknown**_

 _ **...**_

"Where is my son?"

Hanabi frowned and squinted into the darkness of her quarters, hoping to find the man demanding answers from her. Unfortunately, there was nothing but black.

"I asked you a question boy." the man wheezed before once again succumbing to a fit of coughs.

"I don't have to answer old man." Hanabi scoffed. "You sound like you're dying anyway."

The man's cough worsened, wet and racking and filled her with guilt. She was not raised to speak to her elders that way. Especially if they happened to be dying. Cowed by her own upbringing, Hanabi leaned back against the wooden wall and licked her chapped lips.

"Who are you old man?" she asked when the man's fit subsided.

"I would be the one hanging you from your toes if we were free. Such insolence." the man sneered. "I told Itachi his men would run over him."

 _'Itachi? Wait!'_

Hanabi straightened, all of her fatigue and guilt forgotten at the name of the man she'd failed to protect. This man- this man that was choking on the very air he breathed...this was the Commander's father?

" _You_ are the Commander's father?" she said breathlessly and the man chuckled in the dark.

"You are either stupid or thick but yes. I am. Now, where is he?"

"I can't be more stupid than you. You're in here too." Hanabi grumbled under her breath, thankful that she'd never had to follow the orders of the former Commander.

Itachi was many things but he was certainly not his father. If this man was his father and not just a man high off his own fumes. Both scenarios were equally likely. Deciding to air on the side of caution, Hanabi spoke up.

"How do I know you're not lying?"

"Do you realize how much trouble you're in for insubordination brat?"

Oh if this turned out to actually be Itachi's father she was in a world of trouble. Her previous punishment would likely be child's play in comparison. Hanabi shook the thought away.

"We'll cross that bridge when we're out of these chains. For all, I know you could use any information I have against him."

There was a pause and a soft bump against the wood before the man spoke again.

"Fine." he sighed and in a lower voice that was likely not meant to be overheard he added. "It's not like it matters anyway."

He sounded resigned. Flat. It made her waver slightly in her resolve. If it was her father locked away and looking for her...she would slit the throat of anyone that denied him a small modicum of comfort. Hanabi bit the inside of her cheek and then spoke, barely above a whisper.

"I'm sorry. I don't know where he is." she confessed guiltily and the man didn't reply.

"When they attacked he was behind me. He never left. He should have."

The was silence then a weak, defeated cough.

"My sons have always been foolish."

"The child of a frog is a frog." Hanabi countered halfheartedly.

Ko used to always try to remind her of that during her studies. She was her father's daughter and as such, she had a tradition to uphold-one that was greater than herself. It was why the main house needed to remain strong, steadfast, and united. Their own needs fell away when it came to the continuation of the clan as a whole.

It all sounded like a load of dung at the time- a way of chastising her when she ran off to pursue more interesting things that weren't written on dusty old scrolls. Who would have thought that in a predicament like this, Ko's words would have come back to haunt her? On the other side of the wood, the claimant of former Commander let out a wheezy chuckle.

"That is correct brat." he coughed. "What kind of person are you to know the prose of dead men?"

Hanabi smiled despite herself and leaned her head back against the wood.

"I'm a selfish one." she whispered, closing her eyes as she did so. "They always wanted me to study and sit and be silent but..."

"But you think of yourself as a sparrow bred from a kite. How arrogant but all children think themselves better than their elders." Fugaku sighed heavily. "Distract me boy."

The Hyuuga snickered darkly at the man's assessment of her character. She didn't think she was better than her fellow clan's men...just...different. In any case, worrying about them right now would do her no good. Trapped inside of a small, dark enclosure she was utterly unremarkable and above all useless. Sighing, she licked her lips and wondered how much longer she would survive. The prospect of death did not scare her, it was the waiting that was already proving to be unbearable. A distraction as the man proposed was necessary for them both.

"I was born the year of the dragon. It's a lucky sign." she said and the man grunted.

"Not as lucky as others."

"I suppose not since I'm stuck here with _you_ old man."

The man in question coughed for a full minute before he was able to regain his composure.

"My eldest son is a rat. Luckier than a dragon and smarter by a long shot. My... youngest son...I think he's a tiger."

"You think or you know?"

There was a pause as the man took a heavy breath and shifted on the other side of the wooden wall. He was probably lost within his own thoughts, the last space of dignity he possessed. Hanabi let out a heavy sigh of her own as the fatigue of the night's adventure's were finally catching up to her. She didn't want to sleep but her eyes...they were so, so heavy.

 _ **...**_

 _ **The Twenty-Seventh Summer of the Karasu**_

 _ **Sand Encampment**_

 _ **...**_

There weren't many things he knew about the warriors from the Sand outside of the fact that they fought for their own ends. That made them no different than his own men. Tired and hungry and drunk from their countryside victories. They were far too ambitious for what they were trying to undertake. Konoha was far too large and rich to be overcome with the likes of them but still, they tried. Were trying.

Itachi looked around at the ensemble of men around him, masking his disapproval with a nonchalant attitude. They wore clothing that was more suited for a dessert than the humid climate of Konoha. Their weapons were also too heavy and their supplies too few. They were sent to be slaughtered but that didn't mean they would die. Self-preservation was a hell of a shield. Its why his own heart continued to beat and his lungs contracted and expanded. It would hopefully be enough to keep the Hyuuga alive as well until he could get to him. At least being a 'prize' to the leader of this merry band of warriors was a point in the Hyuuga's corner. He on the other hand only had his lies...

... _The fight was doomed before he ever removed his katana from its sheath. If he'd been alone they maybe there would have been an opening that he could have used to his advantage. Being outnumbered was nothing new to him. It was the Hyuuga that kept him from thinking about his own self-preservation and thus hampered his plan. However, he was not one to accept a fate stacked against him and fought as well as he could. Three of the six men fell to his blade before more men showed up to assist in the skirmish._

 _"You're pretty good." a voice behind him laughed._

 _Itachi turned around and was surprised to find the Hyuuga unconscious on the ground and his cocky opponent grinning with his arms crossed. Dark eyes crinkled with flaking purple war paint as he gave a not so gentle nudge to the Hyuuga's stomach with his foot. He then looked up at Itachi and flashed a bright smile._

 _"You're not so bad yourself. How did a guy like you even get so good with a sword? That town was full of cowards." he said._

 _Itachi frowned. Those people they killed were civilians, not cowards. He bit back the retort as his opponent stepped over the Hyuuga and held out his hand._

 _"I need more men that know which way to point a sword. I see no sense in killing someone like that **if** they were on my side."_

 _His side? The arrogance of this man. However...Itachi glanced at the Hyuuga on the ground and the man's outstretched hand. If he were to accept this offer there would be no better way to gain information on the enemy's movements. This night might not be for nothing after all..._

..."Yo."

Itachi looked to his left to find the man he'd fought the night before holding out a plate of food and a smile. Kankuro, Prince of the Sand. He didn't look anything like royalty when his face was painted and even less so with it removed. With his unremarkable brown hair and dark eyes, he blended in well with the men he led. As he continued to eye the man skeptically, Kankuro's smile widened as he waved the plate tantalizingly under his nose.

"C' mon man if ya don't eat you'll pass out and then what good was all this marching?" he smirked and Itachi stiffly accepted his offering. "You don't talk much do ya? That's fine, my brother's the same way actually."

"Hn."

He picked at the paltry plate that had been brought to him. A gray soupy mess with bits of some unfortunate animal mixed in. It would probably taste as sad as it looked. Itachi brought the bowl to his mouth and took a small gulp, careful to keep his face as unreadable as possible. His theories of it tasting sad were incorrect. It was an abomination. As if he could read his thoughts, Kankuro laughed heartily and roughly clapped the Uchiha on the shoulder.

"It's not great grub but ya get used to it! There will be a lot better when the rest get here and we can stock up."

"The rest?" Itachi said flatly and Kankuro nodded solemnly.

"It shouldn't be too long a wait. By the time we reach the shore, it's over. There's no stopping us!"

Itachi frowned. Reinforcements were coming just as he'd expected. It was likely that the west coast was riddled with capture villages and small companies of warriors pillaging all that they desired. He could only hope that Shisui and his men had made it at least halfway to the capital by now. That would give him enough of a head-start to arrive and warn the emperor and shogunate to mobilize their forces. _If_ they believed Shisui that is. It was easy to become complacent to a threat when it never touched your borders and didn't feel imminent. Casually, Itachi took another sip from his bowl before speaking again.

"How many men?" he asked and Kankuro chuckled.

"Don't worry your pretty little head about the numbers. You'll still have a tent. Maybe even more than that when we take out the Uchiha. They won't know what hit them. In the meantime, I think I'll pay your friend a visit. It's not every day you get to see a Hyuuga running around."

Itachi stiffened. The Hyuuga had been relatively safe within his own isolation. Kankuro 'paying him a visit' would put an end to that.

"He's hurt from the fight." Itachi said but was met with a shrug.

"He'll be fine."

"An infected prize will die quickly."

At that, the younger man's nose scrunched up and he crossed his arms over his chest.

"I hate it when they get sick. Vomit and shit everywhere. Oi! You there!" Kankuro called out to one of the older warriors setting up a tent. The man immediately dropped his tools and stood at attention to await his orders.

"Yes sir!"

"Go to the medical tent and see what they have lying around to clean up wounds. Then give it to the guards for the new inmate," he ordered before turning back to the Uchiha with a parting smile. "Good call man. Dodged a blade there."

Though it was out of bounds, Itachi pressed on.

"Is it necessary to keep the Hyuuga a prisoner. As you witnessed last night he is capable of fighting."

Kankuro scowled at the proposition before slowly shaking his head.

"An eye for an eye. A tooth for a tooth. It's not even close to the same value as what they took from us though. The Hyuuga is lucky to be a prisoner." he said in a low menacing voice which quickly vanished to his usual cadence. "Anyway, enjoy the food and get some rest. We're heading straight to the shore tomorrow!"

 _ **...**_

 _ **The Seventeenth Summer of the Suzume**_

 _ **Location Unknown**_

 _ **...**_

Waking up to darkness was scary.

Waking up to a hand over one's mouth and hands tied was downright terrifying.

She tried to scream but nothing came out. Even if there was no hand she would have found her voice absent. Although her voice was missing from fear, her instincts to fight kicked in and she bit the meaty inside of her captor's palm as hard as she could. They immediately snatched their hand away, leaving behind the coppery taste of blood and dirt in her mouth.

"Oi! The little shit bit me!" an unfamiliar man hissed before shoving her away entirely.

The door to wherever she was residing slammed shut and there was a bit of a scuffle outside. Quickly before they could get a surprise on her again, Hanabi backed herself up into a corner until she could feel the splintering wood on her spine and crouched down low. This position was not meant to be seen as a cowering but with her hands tied behind her back, the most she'd be able to do is incapacitate the next man that entered with a headbutt. Then she could try to sprint out of her prison while they were distracted- _try_ being the operative word. She had no idea how many men were on the other side of the door. It was probably more than she could fight off if she were being honest with herself. On the other side of the wood, her companion coughed.

"I can't believe you bit him." he chuckled weakly. "Do you know where those hands have been? Filthy Sand mongrels."

"You're one to talk. You're sleeping in your own piss." Hanabi countered though he did have a point.

The taste of the man's hand made her mouth feel gritty. She tried to spit to get some of it away but it didn't help much. Her companion meanwhile took amusement with her barb and let out a sigh.

"You will be the same soon. You've only been here a night."

Hanabi grimaced. Hopefully, she found a way out before she ended up like the former Commander. Broken and sick. She'd rather an arrow through her heart than to succumb to such a tortuous fate.

"How long have you been here?" she asked as her heartbeat finally began to slow to a semi-normal pace.

"Far too long."

"Why haven't you tried to get out?"

"Whose to say that I haven't?"

Hanabi opened her mouth to reply but another fit of coughs racked the man and she swallowed her line of questioning. Of course, he'd tried to escape. He had an entire clan relying on him and rallying men to aid in his rescue. What led to him being the sad shell of the man he was now was likely in store for her as well. She initially shivered at the thought but pushed it aside. She would not become like _him_. She would not.

Eventually, the other side of the wall became silent save for a soft, steady snore and her hamstrings burned from her crouched position. Maybe they wouldn't come back. Maybe they had lost interest. She had almost allowed herself to be convinced that she'd gotten rid of her attacker but her prison door creaking open thwarted that notion.

"You take a look at 'em. Careful. He bites."

Right. Now was her chance-

"I'll keep that in mind."

 _'Commander?!_ ' she thought, her eyes widening behind her blindfold.

She might not be able to see but that voice was unmistakable. For the first time since meeting she was actually grateful to hear him speak. In an instant, all of the adrenaline she was running on left her body and she allowed herself to relax now that she was not under threat. Well, not an immediate threat. The prison door closed behind the Uchiha heavily and his footsteps were loud against the wood. It only took a few strides for him to reach her corner and when he did the first thing she noted was how clean he smelled. How the hell had he managed to take a bath in enemy territory while she was locked away like an animal? She opened her mouth to say as much but the Commander was the first to speak.

"Listen to me carefully." he whispered. "Do not bite anyone. Do not lose patience."

"But-"

"Do you trust me?"

She wanted to scream 'no' but that wasn't the truth. She did trust him but she was afraid. Afraid of the dark. Afraid of being in a cramped enclosure with nowhere to run. Of the unknown and her own fate. Suddenly she was no longer looking at the inside of a blindfold as he untied the offending article and her eyes were filled with him.

The Commander held a candle in one hand and her blindfold in the other. She winced at being so suddenly exposed to a light source but didn't look away. Amazingly, despite the altercation from the night before, he was unharmed, clean, and likely fed. Her own stomach growled with a potent mix of jealousy and hunger. There was also a tinge of anger that bubbled to the surface above everything else. He could have gotten away. He should have.

"Why are you here?" she blurted out and the corner of his mouth twitched slightly. "You should be with your men."

"You are one of my men. Did you really think I would leave you to be slaughtered?"

"Yes."

She answered without hesitation. She was insignificant in the grand scheme of things but the Commander. He had thousands of lives that were his responsibility. Without him leading the Uchiha forces who would keep the invaders at bay? He didn't reply to her affirmation, instead dropping her blindfold on the floor in favor of shifting the strap of a bag on his arm. he then crouched down to her level and began to rummage. Out of the bag, he removed a roll of fresh bandages, a rag, and a bottle of what she presumed to be sake. When he moved to reach for her, she backed away.

"What are you doing Hyuuga?" he asked with a tinge of frustration in his voice.

"What are _you_ doing?" she countered defensively.

He eyed her skeptically from his crouch and frowned.

"You were shot earlier and sustained a lot of damage from the fight."

"I'm not in any pain."

That was a lie. They both knew it was.

"You will lose your arm if it gets infected."

Hanabi pressed her lips together in a tight line and shrugged. Who needed arms? Itachi was not amused, nor was he in the mood to continue with her antics. Before she could even blink, he pulled at the hem of her dirty yukata and roughly pulled it open, the material pooling around her waist and bound wrists. His hands then froze and the world itself ceased to turn.

 _'Oh, Kami._ ' she thought as she bit the inside of her cheek and looked away.

She was ready for him to be angry with her. For him to see her as an abomination as most men would. Yet... he said nothing and let go of her yukata. He then pressed a rag to her lips and she sheepishly bit down. When the cold sting of the sake was pressed against her upper arm and shoulder she almost screamed. Almost. She bit down harder as he worked, squeezing out the pus that had already accumulated from less than sanitary conditions and cleaning the wound as best as he could.

Eventually, she became numb to the pain and by the time he stitched her closed she would have been too tired to hurt anyway. The Commander then went to work on the minor cuts and bruises on her neck and face until everything was as mended as it would get for the time behind. Once satisfied with his work he pulled her yukata closed- tighter than before and much more secure. When he finished, he sat back on his haunches and let out a low breath. Hanabi guiltily looked at him, expecting disapproval but instead all she was met with was a tired man. Tired was better than angry she supposed.

"Commander I-" she started but he was already on his feet and ready to leave.

"When it's time to escape. Be prepared."

Escape was the most important thing. She was lucky that he was even considering including her in an escape attempt after discovering she'd lied to him. He looked as if he wanted nothing more than to be done with her. She couldn't really blame him. Still, if escaping was their first priority, there may be another one that would supersede her deception.

"Commander...there's something you should know." she started but Itachi shook his head and moved to retrieve her blindfold from the floor.

"We will deal with everything else when we return to camp Hyuuga." he said firmly as he tied the cloth back around her eyes.

"But sir-"

"No buts. No bitting."

"You bout done in there or did ya amputate his foot?" the guard called from behind the door.

Their time was up. He was leaving and she was going to be alone again. Well...not quite alone. Her heart skipped a beat at the reminder and she blindly scrambled to her feet.

"Your father-." she whispered hurriedly, almost falling on her face in the attempt to stand but instead found herself steadied by Itachi catching her.

"Hyuuga-"

"He's here."

He was. Sick and tired but alive and just on the other side of the wooden wall. She felt Itachi's grip on her upper arms tighten almost painfully, skeptical of her words. He had every right to be. She was a liar but not this time.

"Commander, please believe me he's here. I swear it."

 _ **To be continued...**_

 **Story Rec Corner**

 _Eyes Wide Open:_ Whew this fic is an oldie but a goodie. I think that Sasuke is a bit OC but it's understandable given the circumstances he's under. Overall the fic is beautifully written and plays out smoothly from start to finish. It's definitely an easy read (unlike my own complicated mess lol)

 _The Lone Gardener and his Wife:_ This is a long fic that gets super angsty and complicated at some points but is a great read. What I love the most about this story is the beautiful imagery the author writes. It really puts you in the story. A rare talent tbh!


	27. Chapter 27

**CCNote : Its a new era here in Japan shifting from Heisei 31 to Reiwa 1. Naruhito has taken the Chrysanthemum Throne from Akihito and if you have time to kill go look up the history of the Japanese Imperial family. It's pretty complicated especially since the last male heir to the throne, Hisahito, is only 12yrs old right now (his dad is the current Crown Prince at 53 and is not likely to ascend above Naruhito). He's the nephew of Naruhito and the first male born to the Imperial family in 41yrs. **

**There hasn't been another boy since and girls are not allowed to become Empress (despite the fact that there have been several Empresses of note in the past). This is especially problematic because he's so young and already there has been a disturbing incident like this week a man snuck into Hisahito's school and rigged kitchen knives to his desk. Seriously it's insane but go look it up.**

 **ANYWAY new Era, new Emperor, new Chapter. As always, please enjoy and don't forget to leave a REVIEW!**

 **Fear**

 _This darkening autumn:_

 _My neighbor,_

 _How does he continue?_

 ** _(Basho Matsuo)_**

 _ **The Twenty-seventh Summer of the Karasu**_

 _ **Sand Encampment**_

 _ **...**_

Itachi inhaled through his mouth. Deeply. Slowly. His lungs expanded to their full capacity and he held it only to steadily release the breath from his nose. He repeated the process, again and again, to clear his mind and calm his heart. Meditation usually worked for him when he needed to devise a plan- especially one as delicate as this.

' _Commander he's here. I swear it.'_

Those words uttered from the Hyuuga had made his blood run cold in his veins. He itched to break down the wood to the other side where his father was. His goal, the entire reason he was on this campaign, was only a few feet away.

Alas, barreling through walls was not the way he knew to handle things. If he wanted to make it out with his own life, his father's, and the Hyuuga's intact he would have to go about things more subtly.

 _'Hyuuga.'_ Itachi inwardly groaned, his eyes narrowing. ' _What the hell had she been thinking?'_

Joining a military campaign was a gamble even for the most ambitious of boys. For a girl to do so was idiotic. If and when they made their escape, he would be sure to remind her of that. Returning her to the Hyuuga clan was the only option he could stand. Though her talents were growing by the day, a woman- especially one with eyes as distinctive as the Hyuugas'- would only serve to be a liability.

In the distance, the sound of the morning drums rumbled through the Sand encampment and its occupants rustled inside of their tents. It the start of the day for most but for him...it was the beginning of an escape.

...

 _ **The Sixteenth Summer of the Suzume**_

 _ **Sand Encampment**_

 _ **...**_

He was upset with her. He had every right to be but it didn't sit well with her.

Hanabi sighed and blinked from behind her blindfold. She wasn't sure if it was guilt or pain from her injuries but she hadn't been able to sleep at all. Instead, she wiled away her time with her head against one of the walls of her enclosure and wondered what to say when the Commander came for her again. If he came at all. She sighed again.

"Stop all that sighing boy, the sound is giving me a headache." her fellow prisoner grumbled.

Hanabi rolled her eyes. He was such a cranky old man. It was no small wonder where the Commander had inherited his no-nonsense attitude.

 _'The Commander!_ ' Hanabi thought, lifting her head off of the wall. The wood was so thin. Even the smallest of movements could be heard through the weak material.

"Earlier...you heard him didn't you?" Hanabi said.

"Yes."

It was just one word. Short and clipped but there was relief there. Freedom was so close now for them both. She had only been locked away for a little more than a day and already she felt stir crazy. With her hands bound and eyes blinded she was positive she would lose more of her sanity the longer she remained here. She had no idea how this man had lasted this long. Uchiha were truly stubborn people.

"He'll get us out." she whispered. "Don't worry."

"Who said I was worried brat?"

Though he couldn't see her, Hanabi made an obnoxious face. She'd be sure to give the old man a piece of her mind as soon as they were free. Just as she leaned her head back onto the wall, the door to the enclosure opened and more than one set of heavy feet entered the room. The men were loud and clumsily and clearly not the Commander.

"Aye! He's not dead yet!" someone called from the other side of the wall. "Check the other one."

Hanabi froze, her spine stiff against the splintering wood. The voices in her enclosure were booming and slurred.

"We're good here too!" one of the men in her room shouted back.

She didn't have much time to prepare herself before the intruders grabbed her and roughly brought her to her feet. It took everything in her not to curse or kick them in the process.

' _Do not bite. Do not lose patience.'_

That was easy for the Commander to say. He wasn't the one being treated like an animal. Her irritation was short lived as the sound of coughing was even closer than before and was accompanied by ghoulish laughter.

"Still standing proud Fugaku?" one of the men jeered behind him her. "We'll see how you look after Kankuro's done with you. Go."

 _'Fugaku._ ' Hanabi thought. ' _That must be his name.'_

It was highly dishonorable to address someone of the Uchiha's station the way they did but what did these men know of honor? Or how to treat other humans really since they had no qualms about dragging herself and a sick man through the camp. As they proceeded Hanabi struggled to put one foot in front of the other. She hadn't walked since she'd been captured and her feet felt foreign with every step. If walking wasn't bad enough the jeers of warriors as they passed by was marginally worse. They slung insults and a wet blob landed on the side of her head. It was likely spit or rotten food. Either way whoever had done it was lucky that she was blind.

Eventually, they reached whatever their destination was supposed to be and the noise of the came faded to a dull roar. She heard the men shuffle Fugaku up to stand beside her and she tried to discern his form. The older man was running hot- much too warm for the minimal physical exertion it had taken to reach their new location. His breathing was also shaky but it sounded like he was doing his best to not let his discomfort slip out. He was too prideful for that.

' _Foolish old man_.' Hanabi thought fondly but straightened her own posture as well.

No sense in being pitiful while one was tormented.

"You both look so well. We are most gracious hosts are we not?" a vaguely familiar voice chuckled and his lackeys joined in. "Although...I heard that our guests have not been all that appreciative.

It had to be the man from the other night. His overconfident, constantly amused cadence was not something that she could easily forget. She tensed as she felt him draw nearer, a rough hand grabbing her face and pulling her forward. Her cheeks were squashed under his meaty fingers.

"Hyuuga." he sneered and squeezed her face even harder until she bared her teeth. "I heard that you like to bite."

Hanabi glared behind her blindfold. She would do more than bite if she had her hands free. After a moment the man let her go and shifted to the side.

"And you...I heard that you've rejected your feedings all week. After all the work my men put in to make meals for you. Is it not up to your standards Fugaku? Or are you trying to hasten your death?"

There was a smack and a smothered groan as the older man buckled beside her into the dirt.

"You Uchiha are so arrogant. Everything always has to be on your terms."

There was another hit, this time it sounded as if the air had been knocked out of him. Her own fingernails dug into the meaty part of her palm as she listened and her heart pumped loudly in her ears.

' _Do not bite. Do not lose patience._ '

"Well, not anymore. How does it feel to know that we will take everything from you so easily?"

The men in the space laughed as the leader continued to beat the Uchiha mercilessly until he finally fell to his knees. Hanabi bit the inside of her cheek.

' _Do not lose patience.'_

"Your sons. Your wife. Your people. They are all going to end up just as you are with their mouths in the dirt. Tell me, does the mud taste better than our cooking?"

There was another hit but this time Hanabi could not remain still. She dropped down to where Fugaku had fallen and flung herself protectively over whatever part of his body she could reach.

"Stop it! You're going to kill him!" she blurted out, her nose buried into what she assumed was his back.

It was the wrong thing to say and for a moment she thought the purple-faced man would have hit her. Instead, he laughed, his warriors hesitantly joining in as well, and crouched in front of her. She winced as large fingers grabbed a fistful of her hair and drew her face up forcefully.

"Kill him?" he snickered. "That's the _point_ Hyuuga."

With his free hand, he pulled the blindfold off of her eyes, a sinister smirk on his face.

"Your people are hideous with these eyes. I don't see what Kumo saw in you lot. Superstitious bastards."

The purple-faced man then let her go and stood up.

"Have fun boys but don't hurt the Hyuuga's face. I kind of like that look of defiance."

...

It hurt to breathe but it could have been worse. She could have been Fugaku.

They'd beaten the older man bloody. Until his face had swollen to something unrecognizable and his body curled in on itself. She was young and could take the whips to her back and merciless blows to her stomach and sides. He may have been able to do the same at one time in his life but now...now he was but a shell of his former self. It was sickening to watch. Never was she more grateful to be blinded again and marched back to their dark boxes. At least here they couldn't be hurt. Tiredly she pressed her forehead against the rotting wood and let out a shaky breath through her nose.

"Uchiha-sama." she started. "You there?"

She hoped that he hadn't passed out from his injuries. Moegi had told her that one too many blows to the head could put someone to sleep. If that were to happen they would never wake up again. Fugaku could die. She wouldn't allow that to happen. Not when Itachi was so close to saving them and they would be saved. It took another moment but eventually, Fugaku groaned in response, his body shifting closer to her side of the wall.

"I...I'm sorry about what they did to you."

She could still hear the laughter of the Sand warriors and the taste of bile in her mouth as she watched them beat the Uchiha. The man in question coughed and rapt once against the wood.

"You don't strike me as the remorseful type brat." he said and Hanabi brought her knees up to her chest protectively.

" No one deserves to be treated like this." she whispered.

The Commander did not have them torture prisoners for fun. He at least had the decency not to do that.

"That's where you're wrong."

"Wrong?" Hanabi huffed incredulously. "What could you have possibly done to earn this kind of treatment?"

"More than you can imagine for longer than you've been alive."

"Uchiha-sama-"

"Listen here brat. I do not need your pity. I have ordered the massacres of villages further away than you have ever set foot. I have killed more men with my bare hands than you have seen. I have sent more of my own men to die than the Hyuuga clan has ever produced. I know what I have done and I would do it all again even if it led to me being here in this exact spot."

He spoke with such conviction that she could get a glimpse of the man he used to be. Someone ruthless and ambitious. Someone who was able to lead a thousand men into battle and come out victorious every time. A man who didn't care who he stepped on to get ahead. It was strange and she hated to admit it but she couldn't find it in her heart to have a distaste for the man. In a way...in his words and convictions...she saw herself. That revelation frightened her.

"Do you...do you have any regrets?" she asked and waited patiently for his answer.

She expected something clever. Strong warriors like him believed that regret was for the weak...yet he remained silent for a long time. He was silent for so long that she'd almost feared he had fallen asleep. When he did speak his answer was not what she'd assumed.

"Regrets are what keep me breathing."

"Uchiha-sama-"

"Cut the respectful act brat and worry about yourself. I'm going to sleep."

"No, you can't!" Hanabi snapped. "If you go to sleep you won't wake up."

The Commander would be devastated if his father died in a miserable place such as this. _She_ would be upset despite only knowing him for a short time. On the other side of the wall, the man weakly chuckled and shifted his position.

"What did I just tell you?"

Hanabi frowned, her fingers curling into a fist on her knee.

"To worry about myself." she reiterated and the man coughed.

"And?"

"That...that your regrets keep you breathing."

"Exactly. I can't die. Not yet."

 **...**

Unlike the small village he and the Hyuuga had visited several nights ago, this port was lively and teeming with people. The Sand forces marched loosely in small groups through the streets. They boldly milled about with their swords and shields while the people of the village cheered them on. Merchants eagerly showed off their wares at steeply discounted prices and children scrambled underfoot to mimic their march. To Itachi, the Sand was an invading force. To these people they were heroes.

"Ah, there's nothing like the sea air." one of the warriors in his group lamented. The others jostled him around playfully.

"I prefer the air of the desert. It's too humid here."

"This is true. Breathing is almost like drowning."

"Don't be so morbid hahaha!"

Itachi tuned out the men, carefully observing the market street that they walked through. The last time he'd been to this port city it was in preparation to set sail for Kumo. On that campaign, the market was nowhere near as colorful and the population was half the size it was now. When they had returned to this same port victorious from the campaign the reception was even colder. At the time he'd thought nothing of it since he was more focused on getting home. That had likely been a mistake...

Slowing down his pace to trail behind his group, Itachi adjusted the helmet on his head and hoped that no one would recognize him. They shouldn't but one could never be too careful. They marched through the market until they reached the docks. Once there they were met with what was the cause for the celebratory nature of the village's people. An entire fleet of ship dotted the harbor and people scrambled like ants on and off of them. The symbols of Kumo and the Sand flew proudly side by side on the sails, the image searing itself into Itachi's mind.

He tried to count the ships within his line of sight but it was impossible. The waters of the harbor were barely able to be seen with how many ships had been crowded in. The boardwalks were backed up with rowboats carrying goods from the largest ships that were anchored in open water and money was changing hands faster than one could blink. Itachi frowned at how fervently the civilians bowed when they received their products and how the foreign traders simply smiled in return. There was nothing wrong with outside trade, at least not in his opinion, but the Shogunate had been adamant about keeping the nation closed off for its own superiority. They had everything they needed right here. Anything more could be taken not traded.

The people of this port city did not care about the philosophy of the Shogunate. They were more focused on getting food into their bellies and gold in their palms. There was no doubt in his mind that there were countless other villages that would end up like this one and become 'sympathetic' to outsiders. One thing that bothered the Uchiha the most was the absence of an Imperial governor. Someone who could have reported back to the Emperor that there were foreign invaders would have been highly beneficial. They wouldn't have solely relied on the Uchiha clan's own forces to go after a personal affront. His father wouldn't have been captured in the first place. There was something rotten here beneath all the prosperity.

Erasing the frown on his face, Itachi joined the other Sand warriors on the docks where a raised plateau had been assembled. Kankuro was standing proudly between two men with a broad grin on his face. To his right stood a shorter, paler man with blood red hair and green eyes that never seemed to blink. He was young, maybe the same age as his little brother, but looked as if he'd seen more in his short lifetime than most men. The other man was the tallest and the oldest of the three with darker skin and an eyepatch over his right eye. Kankuro's two companions did not look anywhere near as jovial as he did but hardly anyone could match that man's energy.

"Alright men!" Kankuro shouted over the din of the harbor, settling down activity and putting all focus on himself. "We have crossed oceans to get to this point. We will take back what's ours!"

The ensembled warriors cheered and to Itachi's surprised so did the villagers that had been milling about.

"Tomorrow we begin the long march towards the capital but _tonight_ we celebrate not only a new alliance but a new future!"

A new future...

At the conclusion of his speech the warriors dispersed, some into the village and others towards the docks where empty rowboats were gathered. Itachi slipped through the crowd smoothly, his eyes trained on the boat Kankuro and his companions boarded. He watched the three men pile into the boat and servants quickly scramble to row them away. Itachi was not a gambling man but if he had to take a bet his father and the Hyuuga were on the ship they were heading to. Kankuro did not strike him as the type of man to keep his 'prizes' out of his sight for long.

No, tonight he would likely show off his conquests to his new companions so Itachi knew that he didn't have long to come up with a plan.

It was tonight or not at all.

 **...**

The rest of the afternoon and the evening were spent in a more celebratory mood. Sake ran freely and smoke filled the air with the copious cooking of meat and fish. Warriors ran after whores. Old men traded stories of their youth. It was all a lively atmosphere for men prepared to die. For Itachi, however, he did not see a need to keep up pretenses of being apart of the group for much longer. Instead, he slipped into the shadows of the revelers on the ship that Kankuro and his two companions had boarded. It was the largest and most ostentatious ship in the allied armada so it was not difficult to gain access on board. Especially not when most of the men were drinking themselves blind. As he walked through the ship largely unnoticed, it took a considerable amount of time to gain his bearings. It has been a long time since he'd been on the water.

"So how much are you willing to pay for him?"

Itachi froze as he heard Kankuro's voice approaching from down the hall. Should he hide or simply continue? Hiding would look suspicious if caught...

"Pay? Oh no, I don't believe you are due a payment from me." a deep gravelly voice mused. "After all we are just taking what we're owed and the Hyuuga owed us greatly."

"But still-"

"Kankuro." a smoother, calmer voice interrupted.

There was a pause and Itachi looked around the corner. The three men from before were standing off though he could not see their faces. Kankuro huffed at being interrupted and stalked away from the group.

"Fine. Whatever. Send him out on the first boat at dawn. He's not my problem anymore."

The taller man shrugged smugly and followed Kankuro down the hall while the redhead remained. He stood silently in the hall, his back turned to Itachi, for an exorbitant amount of time. Itachi pressed his lips in a tight line. Who was this man? Just as he was trying to piece together his thoughts, the redhead turned around and green eyes met black. He stared back unblinkingly as if he wished to memorize his face and unsurprised by the Uchiha's presence. It was at that moment that Itachi recognized something within the stranger he had known all along. Something that was inside him as well. This man was a monster.

"Gaara, are you coming or what?" Kankuro called from down the hall.

The one named Gaara silently turned away from Itachi and proceeded to follow the sound of Kankuro's voice.

Gaara.

It would be a name he would not soon forget.

...

Why did it feel as if the floor was constantly moving?

"I think I'm going to be sick."

Hanabi groaned as the sickening sensation of moving back and forth coursed through her. She clenched her fists behind her back, praying all the while that she didn't throw up. Fugaku wasn't faring much better than she was but that was more due to his current illness than their new situation. Their new accommodations were cleaner than before but just as dark and even smaller. They were also roped together back to back to take up as little space as possible or as Kankuro put it -'to keep each other company'.

"Don't you dare throw up boy." he coughed and Hanabi glared at the wall.

"I can't help it."

"Put your head between your knees."

"What-"

"Just do it."

Hanabi grumbled under her breath but did as she was told. It wasn't like she had any better options. It was also difficult to lean forward with her wrists tied to his but eventually, she succeeded.

"This feels stupid."

"You'll feel even worse covered in your own vomit. Now stop talking and breathe."

Squeezing her eyes closed as another wave of nausea hit her, Hanabi breathed in through her nose. Then, she slowly released from her mouth. In. Out. In. Out. The floor continued to rock beneath her but the violent rolling of her stomach settled.

"Better?" Fugaku asked and Hanabi nodded even though she knew he couldn't see her.

"We smell bad." she replied.

Fugaku wheezed a chuckle just as she straightened up. Nothing about their situation was funny but she was glad he found the humor in it.

"As soon as we are free, I'm going to take a bath." she whined. "I'll bathe for hours and eat things that aren't brown. Then I'll take another bath."

"What a simple boy you are."

"What are you going to do then huh?"

Since he had such bright ideas he may as well share them.

"I will kill the Shogunate." Fugaku replied simply.

Hanabi gaped, her sickness forgotten.

"What are you? Crazy?!"

"Perhaps."

"Why?" Hanabi sighed exasperatedly. "Why do you want to kill him?"

"My reasons are my own."

"Well, they better be good ones if that's your plan."

To her surprise, Fugaku chuckled and sighed. If she hadn't been certain before she was now positive that the man was crazy. He had to be to have survived this long. Hanabi huffed and closed her eyes. She was going to end up just as insane as he was if the floor didn't stop moving. As she contemplated the merits of her own sanity, the sound of a struggle permeated the small prison. There were thumps and muffle yells and then...silence.

...

He was smaller than Itachi remembered seeing him. It had only been a season but his father was a shell of his former self. Batter and bruised the older man stared back at him with dark eyes so similar to his own. Silently Itachi approached, bloody katana in hand, and worked to slice through the ropes that bound the pairs wrists together. The Hyuuga immediately jumped up once free with a smile on her face and a new found exuberance that was strange for a prisoner. His father, on the other hand, struggled to stand on his own and was winded once he was on his feet. The Hyuuga quickly wrapped an arm around his waist to steady him.

"Can you walk on your own?" Itachi asked.

His father didn't reply but straightened his spine and stepped out of the Hyuuga's hold. An Uchiha was nothing without their pride and it appeared as though his father still had some left. Itachi nodded his approval and turned to lead the way. They worked their way through the belly of the ship, ducking around corners and keeping to the shadows. Somehow they were able to make it to the rear of the ship without arousing suspicion but that would only last for so long. Soon they would find dead bodies and realizes the prisoners had been freed. As predicted one of the Sand's warrior's stumbled through the door that led to the upper deck. He was red-faced from drinking all day but he had enough wits about him to point accusatorily at the trio. Spittle flew from his lips.

"Oi! Look it what we have here. Whatcha doin' out-"

His words died in his throat and spit was replaced with blood as Itachi quickly stabbed him through with his katana.

"Shit." the Hyuuga cursed. "We've got to get out of here."

"Take this." Itachi replied, looping an arm around his father's back to help him walk faster.

He then handed the bloody katana to the Hyuuga and shuffled as quickly as he could out the door to the deck above. The salty sea air assaulted them immediately and the dark sky above held the promise of a storm. All of the boats in the harbor bobbed dangerously on their anchors in the dark water below. Itachi frowned as they neared the edge of the boat. If a storm was brewing they weren't going to get very far but it would serve as a good cover. Hopefully, they would be able to put enough distance between them and the invaders.

"Commander? What now?" the Hyuuga asked, drawing Itachi's attention away from the water.

Wide, white eyes stared back at him expectantly as his father shifted away to stand on his own. Without a word, Fugaku clutched the railing and put one leg over then the other.

"Wait what are you doing old man?!" the Hyuuga snapped.

The look on his father's face was hilarious as his eyes narrowed at the Hyuuga.

"Worry about yourself brat."

With that, he jumped. It was only a small splash into the water, most of the sound was muffled by the din of the harbor. The Hyuuga squeaked and covered her mouth in surprise just as an alarm sounded inside of the boat. Their escape had been discovered. Tuning out the blaring noise, Itachi stepped over the railing as well before turning back to the Hyuuga who was growing paler by the minute.

"Do you know how to swim?" he asked and she furiously shook her head.

Inwardly Itachi groaned. This night was just one hurdle after another.

"Take my hand."

She stared at him incredulously for a moment but eventually accepted his offer and stepped over the railing. Her hand was considerably smaller than his own. If he wasn't careful she could easily slip away from him.

"There they are!"

"I found them."

Behind them loud footfalls approached the rear deck, there was no more time to waste. He gave the Hyuuga's hand a small squeeze and pulled her closer to his side.

"Commander?" she asked, fear finally reaching the surface in her voice and eyes.

It was about time that the Hyuuga was afraid. Only idiots didn't feel fear.

"Hold your breath."

 _ **To be continued...**_

 _My eyes,_

 _Having observed all sums,_

 _Returned to the white chrysanthemums_

 ** _(Kosugi Issho)_**

 **Story Rec Corner**

 _Tiny Doodles:_ I'm not the biggest fan of drabbles but I love all things that this author writes. Its a great collection of sasuhina moments so definitely go check it out!

 _On the Same Page:_ A great fluffly Zutara fic. Theres some good lemons at the end too!


	28. Chapter 28

**CCNote: It seriously warms my heart to know that my updates make your day so here is a double update. I hope this little chapter makes you happy too! There will be a longer chapter posted after this one cuz it's kind of a transition.**

 **ANYWAY please enjoy this super fast update and don't forget to leave a REVIEW!**

 **Depression and Duty**

 _My eyes_

 _Having observed all sums,_

 _Returned to the white chrysanthemums_

 ** _(Kosugi Issho)_**

 _ **The Twentieth Summer of the Hato**_

 _ **Uchiha Shiro- East Wing**_

...

The room was dark when she opened her eyes again though she'd never truly gone to sleep. No, it was much too difficult to fall into something as blissful as slumber when one's mind refused to rest. The worst part of it was that she couldn't focus on a single thought, not since the cloud of intimacy had been lifted.

Hinata blinked up at the ceiling, her fingers clutching the sheet against her bare chest. What had that been? Was that...? It had felt warm and infuriating and mind-numbing all at the same time -for however brief a time it had been. Now... now she was left with nothing but a dull ache between her legs. At least that part the women in the Compound had been right about. However...in the moment it had been painful but it wasn't as bad she'd anticipated. In fact, the faint memory of the act itself sent a shiver down her spine. Where his hands had been. The way his mouth moved to mark her without abandon. If it had gone on for longer...well it was not appropriate to dwell on such things. The memory made her heart race and the pit of her stomach grow warm. Was this pleasure? She wasn't sure...

Sighing, she sat up and winced at the pain. She would not be able to lie here much longer. Sasuke would wake up and then what? Would he want to do that again? It was likely that he would be too tired but she was not going to take the gamble that he wasn't. So she ignored the pain and shuffled around the room to ready herself as best as she could. The silks she'd worn the day before were luckily gathered close together so she didn't have to move too much.

She dressed, albeit sloppily since she didn't have assistance, and left the bedroom. When she ultimately exited the patriarch's chambers, Kakashi and another guard were standing outside of the door. She ignored both of them but their curious looks made her tug the neckline of her kimono tighter. It took longer than it should have for her to traverse from the patriarch's rooms to where her own resided. Absently she noted that Mikoto and previous matriarchs of the clan had done this on purpose to be as far away from their husbands as possible. They weren't wrong to do so.

When she finally arrived at her rooms she found them to not be empty as she expected. Surprisingly Tenten was there, restlessly pacing back and forth though at her size she should be seated, and Temari was feeding the doves. Sakura was noticeably absent. At her entrance both women's heads snapped in her direction and in their eyes was a mix of worry and relief. Hinata smiled, her shoulders finally slumping as she allowed herself to relax.

"Good morning." she said softly.

Temari was the first to crack between the two. She immediately closed the dove cage and stood straight with her hands on her hips.

"I don't agree with what you did. I would have been fine rotting in that cell." she said firmly but Hinata didn't stop smiling. "But...thank you."

It was odd in a way. Temari had always been the prickliest of her three attendants. The most on edge and the most straightforward. Now, however, it felt as if she were meeting the woman again for the first time- _the real her._ She liked it.

"C' mon, let's get you cleaned up. Tenten, can you go find Sakura? That girl is never around when I need her. I'll go see what we can do for breakfast this early in the morning."

Tenten nodded, flashing a quick smile in Hinata's direction before padding out of the room. Temari left behind her swiftly, leaving Hinata alone for the first time all week. Alone. It was easier to not think about things when she was surrounded by others. When there were expectations and tasks and distractions it was so much easier.

Slowly, Hinata crossed the room and sat at the led where the dove cage stood. She was alone save for them.

 _'Them._ ' she thought sadly. _'I never did get around to naming you.'_

She'd thought that Itachi would return and they could name them together. Her sister would have loved to see them since they'd never been allowed pets within the compound. However, neither of those two fantasies was going to happen. Calmly she unlatched the window behind the cage and a crisp morning breeze blew into the room.

Fall was coming quickly this year. Hanabi loved the briskness of the season and the ways the leaves would transform around the Compound. It was all Neji and Ko could do to keep her inside. Neji. Ko.

"Father." she breathed although her throat felt as if it were closing up.

Although she didn't realize it, she was shaking and it was not from the cold. Her nails bit into the wood of the window frame as she struggled to breathe and her doves became restless within their cage. Everyone...everyone she loved was gone. It was then that reality sank in and she couldn't stop her tears from falling.

 **...**

 **The Twenty-first Summer of the Taka**

 **Uchiha Shiro- East Wing**

 **...**

 _She was warm._

 _That was the first thing he noted as he pushed himself inside of her. The second was how tight she was. It was almost insane how much she gripped him. When he'd initially pushed in there had been a bit of resistance but that was all overshadowed by her heat. Hinata's nails dug into his back and she stiffened beneath him. He was not going to be able to move much if she didn't relax. Impatiently he lowered his mouth to the juncture between her neck and shoulder. When he nipped at her skin she gasped and arched into him._

 _It wasn't much but it was encouragement enough for him to move forward. He pulled out slightly, regretting the loss of being within her instantly, and slid back in. With each thrust, it became easier to move in and out. She was becoming slicker and gripped him tightly at every reentry. He could feel his own control slipping away and when she finally let out a small moan in his ear, he came undone..._

It was bright, much too bright for the time that he usually rose in the morning.

Sasuke groaned and wearily put a hand over his eyes to block out the light. He felt exhausted and a bit hungover but not bad. In fact, this was the first time in months where the last vestiges of his nightmares didn't follow him into his waking hours. Rolling over, he buried his face into the pillow next to him and took a deep breath. It smelled vaguely of lavender and something distinctly familiar. Bright, opalescent eyes flashed in his mind, causing his own to spring open. Hinata.

He sat up quickly despite the mild disorientation it caused and looked around the room. All traces of her had vanished from the room. Not a zori or binding wrap had been left in her wake. At what hour had she left his bed? He was not one to need someone to lay beside him but finding his bed cold just hours after marrying felt...odd. Frowning, he pushed the sheets off of himself and stood up to prepare for the day. He did not have the luxury of sleeping in longer than he already had. Yet as he pulled back the sheets something strange caught his eye.

On the futon where Hinata had laid was blood. It wasn't much but it was deep and red and filled him with confusion. Hinata was a virgin, that much was clear but his brother... What the hell had Itachi been thinking to leave his wife without completing their marriage rites? Was he that cocky that he would return? No wonder the elders had labelled her barren. Sasuke frowned as he stared at the evidence to the contrary before him on the bed. Whatever had been going through Itachi's mind before no longer mattered. Now Hinata was _his_ wife and a sense of guilt filled him. He had not been gentle last night at all. It was no wonder that she'd escaped from his bed as soon as she could.

Hurriedly he moved over to his trunks to find fresh underclothes and a yukata to change into. Once dressed he made in way out into the sitting room to find it already being set up for breakfast. Kakashi was sitting at the low-lying table with a scroll in one hand and half an apple in the other. He looked up at Sasuke curiously as he crossed the sitting room.

"And where do you think you're going in such a hurry?" he asked, setting down the scroll and tossing his apple with one hand.

Sasuke rolled his eyes and opened the door. He did not have to waylay his comings and goings with this man.

"I wouldn't do what you're thinking of doing." Kakashi sighed causing Sasuke to pause and glare back at him.

"And what are you assuming I am going to do?" Sasuke replied tersely.

The older man shined the apple on the front of his black yukata and shrugged.

"You're going to find Hinata of course. She left for her own rooms at dawn."

At dawn? What in the world did she have to do that would lead her to wake up so early? He opened his mouth to ask as much to Kakashi but the man set down the apple on the table and gestured at the wide array of breakfast foods that had been laid out by the servants. It was meant to be eaten by two but the second person partaking in the meal was all wrong.

"Brides do not leave their marital beds unless there is something wrong. I suspect it's something that you will not be able to fix. You may even make it worse."

Sasuke's hand slipped from the lightweight wood of the sitting room door and curled into a fist. The confusion and rush he felt from before melted into guilt which was quickly becoming a familiar companion of his. A companion that was proving to be even more annoying than Kakashi. Whenever it came to Hinata he was always guilty of something. Heedlessly speaking to her in a way that showed hurt on her face. Sending her away even if it was for her own good. Coveting her to the point that he'd lost himself last night.

"It's probably not you per se. Or at least you might be a factor but not the largest one." Kakashi said, breaking the Uchiha from his thoughts. "She just learned that her clan has been decimated. Her little sister has disappeared and is likely dead as is her previous husband. That's a lot for one person to handle and I doubt you could do anything more to help than you two have already negotiated."

Negotiated. The words made his skin crawl.

"In any case, you have a lot on your plate as well. You have to organize what little forces we have around the District. Ration out the reserves to the clansmen and schedule their distribution while the area is locked down. Not to mention the elders..."

Kakashi's words washed over him as he made his way back to the table and reluctantly sat down. There was so much left to do and it all rested on his shoulders.

"Eat up." The older man said teasingly as he handed over the polished apple. "It's going to be a long day."

...

It was a long day indeed.

The moment he entered the anteroom of his chambers he was accosted by his servants, escorted back to his bedroom, and dressed in much more presentable clothing than he'd previously donned. From there, he was shepherded out by Kakashi and the other guards to begin his long list of things to do for the day. Every waking moment was spent with either a brush in his hand or an order on his lips.

That had been only his first day officially spent as the clan's new patriarch. It was now two days later and the avalanche of things he had to do had not lessened.

The young soldiers they had would not be able to defend the District from a wild boar, let alone the enemy.

Their stores of food would last them through the winter but only just so.

Then there were the elders who were already angered by his decision to marry Hinata but would agree to anything as long as he produced an heir...

 _'Speaking of which...'_

Sasuke sighed as he set down his brush next to its inkpot. He hadn't seen Hinata since their wedding night. She would not take dinner with him nor had she resumed any of her previous matriarch duties. No one had seen her outside of her attendants. Kakashi had said to give her space but how much 'space' did one woman need? Inwardly Sasuke reprimanded himself. When his mother died he had withdrawn from everything. He had been more than content to remain alone despite how rampant his thoughts liked to run with confusing revelations. Perhaps Hinata just needed more time alone but she did not have that luxury. None of them did anymore. They needed to leave for the protection of the capital soon before it became too dangerous to travel. They needed an heir or at least the promise of one by spring. Above all else, they needed...to talk.

There was so much that they needed to discuss but he had no idea where to start. It wasn't like he had great models of communication growing up. His father rarely spoke to his mother in his presence. Itachi was...secretive at best and hardly ever home. Everyone else either made demands of him or looked for his leadership-there was no conversation or compromise.

Hinata, however, was not a servant nor was he going to put distance between them the way his father had done with his mother. She was a girl welcomed into their household at seventeen and no matter how bothersome he found her at times she had been the one true constant since then. The only other person that continued to insert themselves into his life was Naruto. He was even more of a nuisance than Hinata if his most recent letter was anything to go by. The Uchiha looked down at said scroll and his lips curled.

 ** _Sasuke! I've been waiting for forever! Get over here!_**

It was a short missive that lacked any of the tact and courtesy expected of an Emperor in the making. It wasn't that Sasuke had expected a more substantive letter from his childhood 'friend'. It was the fact that Naruto was either unbothered by the threats on Konoha's east coast or he didn't know. The latter of the two was much more problematic and concerning. Kakashi had been ordered by Shisui to split off for the District while they headed for the capital. Had something impeded their progress? Naruto should know by now. If he didn't...they had to be the ones to tell him. They had to go to the capital.

Sasuke sighed and ran a tired hand over his face. Yet again the elders were getting exactly what they wanted. Although this time he would not send Hinata away.

 _'Hinata.'_

...

Her mother's necklace was pretty during the day but stunning at night. Absently she stroked the smooth stone, recalling the cold winter day her father had given it to her. The iridescent opal pendant looked like the moon itself when it was full on a cloudless night. Just like the moon, it was silent and heavy and of little comfort when she needed it the most. What was comfort? Perhaps it was the affection she gave to her sister at night when she was afraid to sleep alone in the dark. Or maybe it was the assurance to Tenten that she and the baby would never see a day of struggle from here on out. The doves Itachi had gotten her were a comfort while he was away but now...now just looking at them made her feel guilty.

"Be careful with that! It's expensive."

"Why should I? It's not like she'll care anyway."

"Sakura-"

"She doesn't even appreciate any of this stuff."

There was a crash and a curse in the other room but Hinata didn't move from her window seat. Temari and Sakura had been fighting nonstop for the last two days. The bickering was not like when Ino was here to temper out the three of them. It was more personal...more malicious.

"Sasuke just got that for her-"

"She doesn't want it. She doesn't want him."

"He never wanted you either. So do your job and stop crying."

"I'm not crying."

Sakura said that she wasn't but Hinata didn't have to be in the room to know that she was crying. The pinkette had been avoiding her and Hinata couldn't really blame her. She didn't want to be around herself right now either.

Sighing, Hinata tuned out the argument in the next room and gazed out at the courtyard. It was empty at this time. All of the birds had found their roosts for the night and the fish had sunk to the bottom of the koi pond. No one walked the covered deck save for the occasional guard on patrol. All was quiet within the Shiro and the District below. How much longer would such a silence last? There was an enemy coming for them...for Temari. It almost seemed futile to fight. There weren't enough boys here to fight nor enough food to feed them if there was.

Outside her bedroom a door slammed, breaking the Hyuuga from her thoughts. It was quiet, truly quiet, for the first time all day. Curious, Hinata rose from her window seat and padded across the dark bedroom. In her sitting room, the candles were still lit and there was an angry smattering of broken porcelain. Hinata stooped and picked up the remains of a saucer, her thumb rubbed over the deep blue design that was no longer discernible to a larger design. Whatever it had been...whatever beauty it held...was gone. Hinata sighed and clutched the piece in her fist, the sharp edges cutting into her palm the tighter she held it. The mild sting was nothing in comparison to the hurt everyone else had to endure.

"What the hell are you doing?" an angry voice demanded.

Hinata's head immediately snapped up to see Sasuke standing in the doorway with a disapproving look on his face. He quickly rushed into the room and crouched down before her. She drew back automatically but Sasuke grabbed her right wrist and pulled her towards him. Dark eyes glared suspiciously at her until she uncurled her fingers to show him the porcelain dotted with her blood.

"Hinata." he hissed through clenched teeth.

His fingers dug tightly into her wrist causing her to squeak but he didn't let go. Hinata dropped the shard and tried to push him away with her free hand. Unfortunately, it only served to make him pull her roughly into his chest where protesting was much harder to do.

"Sasuke." she gasped, surprised by how fast his heart was beating.

For the longest time, it had felt as if he didn't have one. But why...why was it beating like this? He held her as if she were going to shatter just like the saucer on the floor. Like if he didn't hold on tight enough she would slip away. She would leave just as everyone else had. Tears pricked at the corners of her eyes and she tried to blink them away. She'd done enough crying for the past two days to last a lifetime but her emotions did not cooperate with her wishes.

Instead, the tears began to trickle out. The trickle became a stream, the stream a flood, and soon she found herself sobbing silently until her body shook. She cried for the father she would never see again and her cousin who was blamed for his murder. She cried for her clan and all of the memories she'd made within the compound. She cried for Hanabi and Itachi- the chances of her seeing either of them again in this life were slim to none.

All of her hope.

All of her wishes.

None of it mattered anymore.

When there were no more tears left within her she felt shriveled and weak. The only thing keeping her from collapsing onto the floor was Sasuke and even then it was just barely. It was beyond embarrassing to show so much weakness in front of him. To be so fragile yet again.

"Sasuke. I- I'm sorry." she whispered, her throat scratchy from disuse.

The Uchiha pulled her away from his chest but kept a firm grip on her upper arms. He stared at her determinedly though she could not find it in herself to meet his eyes. Instead, she lowered her head and hid behind bangs that were in a desperate need for a cut.

"We found my mother in this very room Hinata." he said firmly. "Do not make me find you. Do you understand?"

At that Hinata looked up Sasuke and for the first time wasn't afraid or nervous or ashamed. Slowly she nodded her head, astonished and dazed.

"Uchiha-sama...Hinata?"

The two in question were broken from their reverie by Sakura standing in the sitting room doorway. She held a broom in one hand and a dustpan in the other but both looked as if they'd slip from her grasp at any moment. The hurt in her green eyes was palpable, her bottom lip quivering as she closed her mouth. Hinata guiltily tried to pull away from Sasuke but he would have none of it. He rose to his feet, bringing her up with him as he did so.

"Clear this up quickly." Sasuke ordered gruffly.

"Of...of course." Sakura replied and bowed partially out of respect and to hide the sadness so evident on her face.

Hinata wanted to reach out to her and apologize but her tongue was too heavy. There was nothing she could say to ease the pain that Sakura felt. As Sasuke led her down the hall, Hinata looked back at her attendant that had yet to move from the doorway. Her back grew smaller and smaller but she didn't move.

'She really did like him.' she thought, biting her lower lip.

Unfortunately, her preoccupation with Sakura was short lived before the cool crisp air of the night assaulted her senses. She blinked, the wind blowing on her ruddy cheeks felt relaxing in a way and she took a deep breath in. Sasuke led her down the steps of the covered pathway and towards the motionless koi pond, the waters of which reflected the full moon on its surface. It's stillness tugged at her heart.

The last time she'd stood near this pond had been with Itachi.

The man she was with now stepped away from her, turning his back as he searched for words he wished to say.

For Itachi words always seemed to come so easily.

For Sasuke...not so much.

"Hinata. We will leave for the capital soon." he said and Hinata stared at his back curiously.

"We?"

"The elders- _I_ \- believe that it will be safer to remain there for the time being. There have been reports coming in of the enemy in the east and none of them have been good."

Hinata frowned and turned to her reflection in the pond. Just as she'd feared Itachi's campaign had not been successful. They were on their own now. There was no Mikoto to handle clans affairs and no Itachi to fight far off battles. It was just her...and Sasuke.

"Alright." she said as she wiped the last evidence of her tears away with the back of her hand.

She couldn't wait around anymore for things to get better because they wouldn't. The only solace she had left was that she wasn't going to lose anyone else she loved. Not when she was still around to do something about it. Mikoto, her parents, her clan, and Itachi. She would see them all again in the next life if the gods willed it to be so but in this one...

"Show me what you've prepared."

In this life, she had a duty to uphold. To the Uchiha clan. To her husband.

Sasuke turned back to her, his brows quirked in surprise. He'd likely been expecting protest on her part. She preferred to stay within the District but now was not the time to be at odds with each other. Her heart still ached and she wanted nothing more than to curl back into the safety of her futon but now was not the time to hide. Even if she was afraid and had no idea what to do next she had to do _something._ Hesitantly, Hinata closed the distance between them, slipped her hand into his, and held her breath...

 _ **To be continued...**_

 _The autumn wind eludes me;_

 _for there are no gods,_

 _no Buddhas_

 ** _(Masoka Shiki)_**

 **Story Rec Corner**

 _Fate Doesn't Make Mistakes:_ A lovely SasuHina story that doesn't have a super angsty-i-hate-everything Sasuke in it. There's some great growth in Hinata as well that makes this story a genuine gem.

 _Recall, Reshape, Repeat:_ This is one of those rare times that a sequel is better than the first story. Literally a piece of gold. It's told entirely from Naruto's perspective and the author captures him so well. Go check it out, please!

 _Lost Years_ : This is a Jonaerys fic! Ah! I just love this couple. If you're a fan of Game of Thrones this is a great look into what might happen after the end of the war. You'll enjoy it I promise!


	29. Chapter 29

**CCNote : Some lovely reviewers have pointed out a mistake I made with Kakashi. I keep meaning to go back and change it before but it kept slipping my damn mind. In the beginning, I planned to use his association with Sasuke as a mentor which he is just introduced in a different way than I initially planned. Good looking out though and reminding me. I'll go in and change that chapter soon.**

 **In other news, I'll be heading back to Paris next week. I hope to update at least once before then but I make no promises. If you wanna see some fun snaps of the trip just message me and I'll add you to my SnapChat.**

 **ANYWAY please enjoy, ignore my terrible terrible mistakes, and don't forget to leave a REVIEW!**

 **A Mother's Intuition**

 _The autumn winds elude me;_

 _for there are no gods,_

 _no_ _Buddhas_

 **(Masoka Shiki)**

 _ **The Twentieth Fall of the Hato**_

 _ **Uchiha Shiro- West Wing: Patriarch Study**_

...

It didn't take much to convince the man to show her his burden. In fact, it abysmally evident that Sasuke had been juggling a lot on his own. The sight of his office stabbed at her conscious and Hinata couldn't help but feel ashamed at her own negligence. She was supposed to be helping Sasuke not letting him drown alone among scrolls.

"This is...so much." she breathed and he nodded beside her. "Where did you leave off?"

"Well..." Sasuke trailed off causing Hinata to tear away from the scrolls and stare at him.

He glared at the mountain of work as if it had committed a crime against him but the tips of his ears were pink. That only happened when he was embarrassed about something and it was very very hard to elicit such a reaction. He had clearly been distracted from completing his work but what could have the power to do such a thing? Uchiha Sasuke had a one track mind and was stubborn to a fault.

"Sasuke-" she started but was unceremoniously interrupted.

At that moment a guttural grumble reached her ears but it wasn't from her stomach. It was _his_. When heard it reminded her that her own body lacked nourishment as well. It was clear that they both had been distracted from taking care of basic needs. Unable to control herself, Hinata let out a huff of amusement which promptly earned Sasuke's ire to be turned on her.

"What is so funny?" he asked tersely, his ears turning even redder.

Hinata covered her hand to hide her smile and waved away his disdain with the other. She then went back to the office door and poked her head out of the door. As always Kakashi was standing opposite the door with a scroll in hand and another guard to his left but he glanced up when Hinata opened the door. She had to wonder if the man ever slept these days.

"Hatake-san." she said guiltily. She didn't want to make him do more work than he already was doing but it couldn't be helped. "Could you please tell the kitchen to bring any leftovers from dinner tonight?"

At the mention of food, Kakashi perked up a bit and nodded his head.

"Of course Uchiha-sama." he replied.

Hinata paused as she watched him begin to walk away, a bothersome nagging feeling in the back of her mind. The man was always around Sasuke. It didn't seem right to work someone so hard.

"Hatake-san wait!" Hinata called out before he could get too far down the hall.

He turned around and glanced curiously between her and the remaining guard as if anticipating an issue. Always alert. Always ready.

"Hatake-san...for tonight...you don't have to come back to your post."

The older man raised a brow at her curious and the other guard also turned the oddest shade of pink at her words. Confused by their reaction, Hinata stammered on.

"It's not that I don't trust you or anything-"

"If privacy is what you require should we position guards..." Kakashi cleared his throat awkwardly. "Further down the hall?"

What? Privacy? Why would they need that...

Suddenly the implication of her words hit her and she felt her entire face go up in flames. No wonder the guard looked as if he were about to explode as well. She started to refute Kakashi's suspicions but all she managed was a squeak before a hand reached from behind her and covered her mouth.

"Leave."

With that, he pulled her back into the room and loudly shut the door. When he released her Hinata immediately covered her eyes with her hands, trying her best to calm the frantic beating of her heart. Did they think-? Did Sasuke want to-

"Are you going to help me or just continue to stand there?" Sasuke asked gruffly, startling Hinata out of her mortification.

"Ah, um yes!" she stammered and nervously shuffled over to the table in the middle of the room.

She grabbed one of the scrolls off of the top of the stack and quickly unfurled it. Inside was a record of all the currently clan member households and the numbers within each. They all needed to be fed and clothed through the winter and into the spring or for however long the District remained closed. With the distraction of work now in the forefront of her mind, Hinata brought the thick scroll to Sasuke.

"When do you plan to distribute rations?" she asked and he peered up from what he was reading.

"There is not enough to go around." he replied flatly.

Hinata bit her bottom lip and glanced down at the names on the scroll.

"We have to give them something...what about our allies?"

The Uchiha were famed for leading the other prominent clans into battle. They were the nation's spearhead but nothing they'd done thus far could have been accomplished without the help of others. However, at the mention allies Sasuke's upper lip curled and he looked away.

"Our allies have ignored every message sent out. All scrolls have been returned without the seals even being lifted."

"Why-"

"Because they are simply waiting for their chance to assume a higher ranking when the Uchiha clan dies out." Sasuke hissed. "We have always been a threat."

"But we aren't."

"That fact doesn't matter. Their perception is otherwise. It always has been."

Threats and perceptions. Hinata knew nothing about the workings of inter-clan politics. Her education had been focused on the clan and only the clan. Sasuke, however, had spent a large chunk of his life in the capital. If he said that the other clans didn't trust them he had to have a reason for it. Anxiously she scanned the names of their clan members and furrowed her brow. These people were innocent. They did not deserve to starve because of the prejudice of others.

"Sasuke we have to do something. What about the Emperor? Can't he help?"

"The Emperor is nothing more than a glorified figurehead. The real power lies with the Shogunate."

"Danzo."

Sasuke nodded, his lips pressed into a tight line. The name of that man sent a chill down her own spine. If the Emperor was of no real help then they would have to appeal to him instead which was probably impossible. Temari had not painted him in a favorable light...

"Wait, Temari-" Hinata gasped. "She...she might know what to do."

At that Sasuke rose to his feet and was already halfway to the door. If Temari had information of value...If she had a way to get the Shogunate to aid their clan. They had to know. It was a long shot but they had to do something.

Anything.

...

Getting their dinner delivered at such a late hour was easy.

Getting Temari to not feel threatened by Sasuke's presence was not.

However part of her freedom hinged on being cooperative. Hinata held the older girl's and gave it a reassuring squeeze. Sasuke would not dare threaten the attendant with her there. Or at least that's what she hoped.

"It's alright Temari." Hinata said softly. "Just tell us what you know."

The blonde pressed her lips in a tight line and frowned.

"I don't know anything for a fact. Only the whispers from others while I was with him. Those could have been lies or the truth. It was hard to tell since Danzo surrounds himself with pawns willing to do whatever he asks out of their own self-interest." she said. "But..."

"But what?" Sasuke growled as she trailed off.

Temari narrowed her eyes at him but refused to continue. Hinata threw him a pleading look. They were going to get nowhere fast if he were to keep up his disdain for her attendant. Begrudgingly the Uchiha rose from his seat at the table, grabbing his plate as he did so.

"Find me when this is over." he said stiffly.

"I will." Hinata replied.

Although she was surprised to see Sasuke leave she was grateful for the departure. Temari visibly relaxed the moment he was gone and grabbed a pickled radish from the tray. She then turned back to Hinata and continued.

"They all agreed that Danzo was not concerned about being without an heir because he already has a son. Or at least that's what they liked to think."

"They were only guessing?" she asked and Temari nodded.

"It was a salacious game they liked to play. Which unfortunate woman had it been? If there was more than one. There were several betting pools that backed different Konoha clans desperate enough to seek Danzo's favor. It was pathetic really."

Hinata nodded along but something didn't sit right. Whether Danzo had an illegitimate child or not didn't matter. If he were supposed to get married to Temari, the only daughter of the ruler of Suna, the issue of an heir would be resolved in due time. As if she could read her mind, Temari let go of her hand and twisted away uncomfortably.

"He never intended to uphold his end of the deal with my father." Temari mumbled. "To Danzo, people are just playthings. Everything and everyone he touches is just a tool."

... _It was so cold here._

 _In Suna, the rays of the sun kissed her skin and heated the stones beneath her feet. If there was a sun in this land it refused to appear before her. No matter how many times she looked out the window all she was met with was darkness. Although its presence would have been welcome, the moon remained hidden behind dark clouds. She missed the clear skies of home. This place would never be home. Across the room, the sound of her door sliding open did not rouse her from her prone position on the bed. She didn't feel like fighting anymore. It only took longer and hurt more to fight. At least if she remained still he would go away quicker._

 _"What a sad sight." a deep voice sneered from the doorway. "I would have expected better from Suna."_

 _Temari stayed silent. She would not rise to his taunts or play his game. Besides, not doing what Danzo expected was a victory in its own tiny way. If he wanted her to cry she would gouge her eyes out. If he wished for her to scream she would bite off her tongue. She would not give him the satisfaction of thinking she was afraid of him. Not anymore. While he crossed the room, Temari focused on the sight outside. There was a sliver of the moon. It's silver glow felt promising._

 _Danzo sank onto the futon over her, rough lips kissed her neck and hands immediately sought to untie her obi. He was always rough. One would think he would grow tired of being so belligerent but alas that had yet to happen. Although he was easily able to open her yukata, he quickly became dissatisfied with her reaction. Sneering, he backed away from her and stood._

 _"You are a dull girl."_

 _The clouds outside moved slightly to the left and revealed just a little more of the moon. Was it full tonight? A bit more of the clouds moved._

 _"You will still serve a purpose. Gather your things. You will leave in the morning."_

 _'It's full.'..._

..."Why are you crying?"

Hinata shook her head and furiously tried to wipe away her shameful tears. She had no right to cry. Temari smiled weakly at her and caressed her cheek despite the wetness.

"You Konoha girls are so emotional. Don't cry."

"Temari-"

"I'm happy to be here. Don't look at me like that. If I wasn't given to Danzo than it would have been to appease a warlord in Suna."

This was likely true but...

"But why is your family coming back for you if they don't care?" Hinata asked and Temari smirked.

"They do care. They care about the deal. There has likely been no aid to rebuild sent to Suna nor any of the trade that was supposed to happen. Your so-called Shogunate is a liar and there is nothing worse than a man who breaks his promises among my people. We always keep our word."

Hinata sniffed and wiped her eyes with the heels of her hand. Her clan had not sent her off to some terrible man. The Uchiha were many things. They were powerful and ruthless but above all they had their honor. Her father wouldn't have let her leave the inner ring if they didn't have that.

"So..." Hinata hiccuped, struggling to regain her composure. "Danzo sent you to us...to me...as a gift? I don't understand."

At this question, Temari let out a slow breath through her nose.

"He is- _was_ \- obsessed with Mikoto I suppose. In all of the betting pools, _she_ ranked the highest."

 **...**

"We have begun reinforcing the wall Uchiha-sama and er...Uchiha-sama."

Hinata nodded encouragingly at the skittish man. It wasn't every day that the matriarch of the clan came down to walk among the people. Although Mikoto had been admired it was all from afar. The novelty of her appearance as well as the no-nonsense attitude from Sasuke was enough to make anyone nervous.

"How long will it take to complete a decoy barrier?" Sasuke asked and the man swallowed.

"Another week or two at least sir. We-we-we are short staffed."

Sasuke glared, a quip was surely on the tip of his tongue but Hinata placed a hand on his forearm and smiled.

"Thank you for your hard work. Please continue to do your best." she said and the man turned bright red before bowing profusely.

Hinata smiled politely and allowed Sasuke to lead her away from the worker. Well, her and the eight guards, two attendants, and one ambivalent Kakashi that trailed behind them in an awkward procession. It was not conducive to being approachable but that was the point. The elders refused to allow them to leave the Shiro without necessary precautions and this was the best compromise they could negotiate. They were always being watched while in the Shiro but out here amongst the clan it felt... _strange._

Brushing aside her misgivings, Hinata focused on the ground below the wall where they stood. There were women digging a moat around the perimeter of the outer wall and beyond that were older men laying bricks for another wall. As Kakashi had suggested a good offensive strategy was a good defense. With less than the ideal amount of manpower needed to defend the District they needed to optimize the people they did have.

"We do not have another two weeks to wait." Sasuke grumbled as they slowly walked along the wall.

Hinata bit her bottom lip. They really didn't have any time left. After today the elders wished for them to make their way towards the capital. Staying any longer meant running the risk of crossing with the invaders. There was so much left to do.

"Are we ready to leave?" Hinata asked.

Sasuke solemnly nodded his head, turning to look out at the cityscape of the District. At least their departure was on track. Sighing, Hinata took a step to his side, pointedly ignoring the shuffling of their entourage. The District below was teeming with activity. Small children squealed and ran through the streets, unaware of the dangerous just beyond the wall. Even the mothers who were likely informed of the tension still went about their daily duties as normal. Everything was calm. She prayed that it stayed that way. The Uchiha clan was not a threat. If their allies saw this scene they would find it reminiscent with their own people. They wouldn't turn a blind eye.

"Sasuke-"

"Don't." Sasuke grumbled under his breath and began to walk down the length of the wall without waiting for her or the entourage to follow.

Hinata exhaled slowly and allowed him to get some distance between them. She knew that he needed space. She would give him that. As much as he needed because when the time came to fight for his people he would not be far. Turning back to the entourage it only took a dismissive nod in Kakashi's direction for the older man to go after Sasuke. She then brightly smiled at the torn attendants, confusing them further.

"Come, let's go down below." she said.

 **...**

The busy streets of the District cleared the moment Hinata set foot in them. The hanging of laundry was stopped mid pin. Playing ceased as well as the laughter. Instead, everyone bowed lowly as she passed with only the sound of the entourage pounding in her ears. The silence of the people and their steadfast aversion to looking at her directly were unnerving. She'd been near the people before but they'd barely paid her any attention. When their husbands and fathers were returning victorious there was very little room to care about the strange Hyuuga outsider. Although now she held the last name Uchiha just as truly as they did she did not belong. For many of them, she would always be an outsider.

' _I don't want to be an outsider_.' Hinata thought when her eye caught movement to the right.

A little girl, all skinny limbs and big black eyes, was struggling against her mother's firm hand on her head to remain bowed. She stopped her protest when she noticed that Hinata was watching her and proceeded to unabashedly stare back. Slowly Hinata approached the mother and daughter, drawn in by the child's curiosity. When she was only a few steps away the girl's mouth fell open and she pointed at Hinata's face.

"You can see." she gasped excitedly. "I knew it!"

Hinata paused in her approach and blinked. Of course, she was able to see. Why would anyone think otherwise? Thoroughly excited by her new discovery, the little girl scrambled away from her mother up to Hinata and beamed. Her mother stood from her bow in abject horror at her daughter's behavior but was too afraid to move. Some of the guards from the entourage behind her moved to get in between the two but Hinata stayed them with an open palm. Calmly she stooped down the little girl's level and smiled.

"Why do you think I can't see?" she asked and the girl blushed.

"You don't have black eyes like me." she mumbled shyly. "You have white ones."

Hinata tapped her own chin in fake contemplation and scrunched up her brow.

"Is that so?" she said, earning a giggle from the child. "What should I do to get eyes like your's?"

"Your eyes are pretty don't change them!" the girl replied emphatically and Hinata reached out to pat her head gently.

"You have pretty eyes too."

Upon seeing that the girl was not going to be struck or reprimanded, more children edged closer and closer. After only a few seconds she was swamped with Uchiha clan children. The littlest ones stroked the fine silk of her kimono, unused to such smooth material beneath their fingertips. Others bombarded her with curious questions and laughter.

Is your kimono heavy?

Why are your eyes white?

How old are you?

Is the Commander coming?

How long does it take to do your hair?

Hinata knew that she shouldn't indulge such close proximity and familiarity. However the longer she remained with the children the constantly present ache in her heart stabbed at her just a little less. As she admired a little girl showing off an Uchiha fan she'd stitched herself, a small band of middle-aged women approached nervously. They jostled one another until the most confident of the group stepped forward and bowed deeply.

"Uchiha-sama..." she said. "Some of us were about to have tea. Would...would you like to drink with us?"

"R-really?" Hinata gasped before regaining her composure.

She looked back at her entourage now swamped with children pulling at them curiously. They were probably anxious to get her back to the Shiro but...taking a little longer to have tea wouldn't be so bad.

No...it wouldn't be so bad at all.

Smiling, Hinata stood up and folded her hands into the sleeves of her kimono.

"I would be happy to join you."

At her acceptance, the other women chattered together almost as excitedly as the children. Their joy and the small acceptance of her place with them was bittersweet on her tongue. If only she hadn't spent most of her time cloistered away within the Shiro things might have been different. She was used to staying hidden within the Compound. The lives of those outside of the inner ring of the Hyuuga Compound had never fascinated her the way they did her sister. Hanabi would have adored the freedom of movement and the people of the Uchiha District and yet she had only squandered her time. As Hinata allowed herself to be led into one of the small houses she pushed away her insecurities and focused on the here and now.

 _'If we return...no **when** we return.'_ she thought, a seed of resolution taking root in her mind. _'Things will be different.'_

 **...**

It was chilly the morning that they left the Shiro behind. Hinata watched it recede from the tiny slated window in the back of her palanquin. The navy blue and crimson structure became smaller and smaller until it was overtaken by the homes in the District. Eventually, those gave way to the District wall. The wall to a moat and then another hastily crafted wall. The sight was a far cry from the proud and intimidating way the Uchihas District had greeted her. That cold winter morning the Uchiha clan feared nothing.

Now, there was so much uncertainty and the only thing they had left to do was fight. After the District was too far to see, she turned around and attempted to sleep. She was unsuccessful although she tried for hours to fall unconscious. The constant rocking of the palanquin and the noise from their large, protective procession was not conducive to sleep.

Sighing at her defeat, Hinata focused on the journey ahead. She'd never imagined going to the Imperial city as a child. Just getting out from behind the Compound walls seemed impossible. Yet here she was, one of the last Hyuuga alive and heading towards a city barely whispered about. Absently Hinata touched her mother's necklace buried beneath the folds of her kimono.

There wasn't much that she knew about the capital or its people. Outside of the heads of allied and enemy clans, Mikoto had not seen it as important to teach her such things. A matriarch's place was with the clan. Sasuke, on the other hand, had been going to the capital as a show of good will since he was a small child. As he grew older he became a representative for the Uchiha to the elite. If there was anyone to ask questions to it would be him. As she resolved to come up with a list of questions, a short horn sounded and the palanquin was lowered to the ground. Shortly after that, the door was opened and Temari poked her head in.

"We are going to take a rest here. Do you need help getting out?"

Hinata smiled and nodded. It would be good to stretch her limbs past the confines of the tiny box she currently resided in. Temari held out her hand and she gladly accepted the help to emerge. Once outside she relished the light, crisp breeze against her face and took a deep breath. She then looked around at the rest of the procession as they all began to rest like dominoes. The horses were unhooked from their wagons to drink from the river and her own pole bearers sighed with happy relief that their burden had been lifted. Up ahead Tenten slowly descended from the back of a wagon with the help of a guard, her free hand protectively guarding her belly. When she safely had two feet on the ground she waddled over to where Temari and Hinata stood with a queasy look on her face.

"Are you alright?" Hinata asked, concerned by the gray pallor of the woman's skin.

"I'm fine, I just wish this road was a lot less shaky." she replied with a weak smile.

Temari rolled her eyes playfully while Hinata nodded understandingly. Taking this journey on foot wouldn't have been easy. Traveling again in a shaky wagon, although not on her feet, was arguably worse. Unfortunately, it couldn't be helped. She was too far along for them risk her tripping and getting hurt.

"How is the baby?" Hinata asked curiously and Tenten's face immediately brightened. She caressed her stomach absently.

"It's been pretty active today." she smiled and took a step closer. "Would you like to touch him?"

Touch him?

Wait... _him?_

"A boy?" Hinata asked, her eyes widening at the revelation.

Tenten simply shrugged and grabbed Hinata's wrist.

"Neji expected a boy. I think it's a girl but I'll humor him for now." she chuckled as she drew Hinata's hand towards her stomach.

There was no movement but Tenten was extremely warm. She could feel the heat radiating off of the woman through her yukata. In fact, she had no idea what she was supposed to be feeling for. Still, she kept her hand in place.

"How do you know is if it's a boy or girl?"

"Ya know I'm not sure. Mother's intuition I guess."

'Mother's intuition...will I ever feel that?' Hinata thought.

However, she didn't get the chance to delve deeper before a small flutter tingled beneath her palm. At the sensation, Hinata jumped in surprise but didn't remove her hand. When she looked up at Tenten the woman beamed with pride. There was no other way to describe her other than glowing. If only Neji could see her now. A second later the baby moved again and Hinata was entranced.

"He or she will be a strong Hyuuga."

"I hope so." Tenten replied, the worry of an expectant mother finally creeping into her voice.

Temari placed a comforting hand on the brunette's shoulder and gave it a squeeze. Tenten would give birth soon but instead of being alone she would have them.

"Here."

The trio turned in surprise to see Sakura approaching them with skins of fresh water. Hinata gratefully accepted one of them and tried to meet Sakura's eyes but the pink haired woman pointedly avoided her. She had been doing so for weeks...ever since she'd gotten married. Hinata had expected a negative reaction. She didn't expect Sakura to be particularly happy about her marrying Sasuke. Most of the people within the Shiro didn't agree with the arrangement. However, there was nothing that could change what had been done.

Nor did she regret binding herself to Sasuke.

Not when she got to feel Neji's baby kick beneath her palm. Not when Temari got to be her genuine self since she'd first arrived within the District.

Sakura could dislike her all she wanted but the past couldn't be changed. Still...that didn't mean she didn't feel bad for breaking Sakura's heart. Hinata watched her walk away haughtily to the other older attendants and sighed.

"She'll get over it." Temari sniffed and Tenten nodded in agreement.

Hinata bit her bottom lip and looked away from Sakura's retreating back. It didn't look like it at the moment but she prayed Temari was right.

 **...**

As difficult as it was for her to leave the Shiro, traveling was not as terrible as Hinata had thought it would be. Her first time traversing the plains of Konoha were but a distant memory now. There hadn't been much to look at with everything covered in snow. Now that it was Fall it was as if the dreary land had come to life. Vibrant hues of color rushed by as she held onto Sasuke for dear life. It was scary and wonderful all at the same time. Like all good things, however, it came to an end when they reached their stopping point for the night.

It was only a simple travelers' inn bereft of any other patrons outside of themselves. Their front guard had already scouted the place out and paid to make sure the rooms available couldn't be purchased by anyone else and the ones unavailable were made quickly so. It was a bit disappointing since Hinata wanted to see others outside of the clan but she understood the necessity. There were lots of things that were necessary now. From setting up camp around the inn to feeding the horses and men that brought them here.

And... sharing a room with Sasuke was also necessary.

Hinata swallowed thickly as she anxiously paced back and forth in the small room. It was safer to have both of them in the same location at night. There would be less to worry about and their men wouldn't be spread too thin. She also suspected it was to encourage other things but she did her best to focus on more strategic reasons. Or at least she had until confronted with the reality of being alone at night with Sasuke for a second time.

 _'It's fine.'_ Hinata thought. ' _Everything is fine.'_

Although she kept repeating the mantra to herself she'd yet to believe it. Intimacy was not something spoken about extensively in the Compound nor had Mikoto seen to see it as pertinent to inform her further. Everything about the act itself ran counter to the little that she did know.

"That will be all." Sasuke's muffled voice could be heard through the door, causing Hinata to jump in surprise.

Frozen in place, she watched as the door to the room creaked open to reveal her husband. Referring to him as her husband, even within her own mind, was just too strange. He was Sasuke...just Sasuke. The man in question walked into the room and paused midway through closing the door.

"I expected you to be asleep." he said and Hinata stared back at him surprised.

The day had been long and she had retired from her attendants shortly after dinner but that didn't mean she would be sleeping. It was late but just barely so. Had he...had he been avoiding coming to their room? Hinata nervously fidgeted with her fingers beneath the sleeves of her sleeping yukata.

"I'm not tired." she mumbled but she wasn't quite sure if he heard her.

Sasuke looked at her oddly for a moment before turning away and heading towards the already laid out futon. It was really just two futons pushed together and nowhere near the same luxury as what they'd enjoyed in the Shiro but it was good enough for tonight.

Nervously Hinata walked over to the unclaimed side of the futon nearest the window and sat. Tense and anxious she waited for Sasuke to do something but didn't dare initiate the first move. That was not how she'd been instructed.

 _'It's fine. Everything is fine.'_

Intimacy was confusing and weird but not as awful as she'd feared. It could have been worse. Sasuke could have been a demanding man or a purposefully hurtful one. What little experience she did have with him was tolerable. Regardless of his treatment, there was the expectation of producing an heir. Those did not magically manifest themselves in the forest as her childhood scrolls had depicted.

As the silence in the room continued to drag on Hinata chanced a look over at Sasuke only to find him immobile. His back was to her but by the sound of slow, steady breathing she knew he was asleep. Hinata wasn't sure whether to feel relieved or disappointed. In either case, producing an heir to the clan was going to be a lot harder than she'd anticipated.

 _ **To be continued...**_

 _Consider me_

 _As one who loved poetry_  
 _And persimmons._

 **(Masaoaka Shiki)**

 ** _Story Rec Corner_**

 _I haven't read anything too new that's caught my fancy. Instead I've been editing old stories on my computer. Expect updates soon!_


	30. Chapter 30

**CCNote: For reference before we begin the Emperor is never referred to with a -san or -sama. There is a more formal way of addressing him that is still used today if you're listening to the news in Japanese. That phrase is 'Tenno Heika'. This phrase translates into 'his imperial majesty', 'his majesty, the emperor', or just simply' his majesty'. Depends on who you ask really. The Empress also gets a referred to as 'Tenno Heika' sometimes but I've also heard people use '-sama'. The Crown prince is addressed as Kotaishi Denka which just means 'Your Highness.' All other royal family members (lesser, older princesses mostly cuz the male line is dying) just get a '-sama' so no fancy-schmancy titles. Idk its probably just me. I love niche language and random history facts.**

 **Next CCNote I'll explain where Hanabi's character is based from. Hint, it's not Mulan but if you CAN guess who it is I'll give you a preview of the next 2 chapters.**

 **ANYWAY please enjoy this chapter and start off my trip right with some REVIEWS!**

 **Kotaishi Denka**

 _Consider me_

 _As someone who loved poetry_

 _And persimmons_

 ** _(Masaoka Shiki)_**

 _ **The Twenty-first Fall of the Taka**_

 _ **Outskirts of the Imperial City**_

 _ **...**_

 _"Don't slouch boy."_

 _Sasuke winced as a heavy hand rapt the back of his head. It didn't hurt at all it was just irritating. He was already standing as straight as he could for what felt like forever. The heavy hand was quickly replaced by gentle fingers that smoothed his hair._

 _"You're doing fine ." his mother said softly, her voice barely above a whisper with words meant only for him. "Look, there he is."_

 _The youngest Uchiha strained his neck to see the fabled princeling but failed. All he could see were the Emperor and Empress descending down the steps of the palace. A hushed whisper fell over the crowded courtyard as the most powerful family in Konoha came closer and closer. Sasuke didn't find them to be all that spectacular but his tutors swore that the Emperor was chosen by God himself, whatever that meant. As they departed from the last step, the crowd bowed deeply and his mother's hand kept his head low. All of this pomp and circumstance was incredibly boring. Not only that but they'd been standing in the hot sun for hours waiting on these people to 'grace them with their presence'. If it hadn't been for his older brother slipping him small bits of rice crackers he was positive he would have passed out long ago._

 _"Ah Fugaku." a jovial voice chuckled. "It's been awhile."_

 _"That it has Tenno Heika." his father replied._

 _"And who might this be? I heard that you were blessed with a second son."_

 _Sasuke blinked as he felt a small nudge in his back from his brother and straightened to look at the Emperor and Empress. His mother pushed him closer to the pair though he didn't want to go near them. They looked nice enough but their hair was too bright and their smiles too big. It was unlike the dark hair and serious demeanor he was used to. The kimonos they wore were likely a thousand times heavier than his own. It was no small wonder that they had to walk as slowly as they did._

 _"This... is Sasuke." his father announced as he pulled the reluctant boy forward._

 _The blonde Emperor's smile widened as he set his eyes on the Uchiha. He then stooped to eye level and ruffled his hair much to Sasuke's displeasure. He knew better than to say as much though._

 _"How old are you?" the Emperor asked but before he got a chance to answer his father cut in._

 _"He will be five at the start of the summer."_

 _The Emperor didn't look at his father or acknowledge he had spoken. Instead, he continued to stare expectantly at Sasuke with those piercing blue eyes and waited for him to speak. Although he was afraid of his father one was never to defy the Emperor or at least that's what his tutors had said. His mother patted his head reassuringly, prompting him to take his time._

 _"I'm almost five." Sasuke said and the Emperor's smile returned._

 _"Is that so?" he chuckled before standing again and reaching behind the Empress._

 _He then pulled out a blonde boy clutching at his mother's burnt orange furisode. The left side of his face was marked as if he'd just been awakened from a rather deep nap. Blue eyes just like his father's stared back at him, glassy and red from crying. Was this really the Crown Prince? Who would have guessed he would be a crybaby?_

 _"Say hello to Sasuke, Naruto." the Emperor prompted but Naruto shook his head and went back to hiding._

 _"I don't wanna."_

 _Sasuke felt his right eye twitch with irritation._

 _"Naruto..."_

 _The Empress tried to pull her furisode out of his grip but Naruto refused, not that Sasuke cared too much. He didn't want to talk anyway. His father was already mad at him. He didn't need this too._

 _"No!"_

 _"Crybaby." Sasuke grumbled under his breath and Naruto stopped struggling._

 _"What did you say?!"_

 _The Uchiha crossed his arms and looked away. Unfortunately, that response was unsatisfactory and Naruto finally let go of his mother._

 _"Tell me!"_

 _"Hn."_

 _Not only did he whine but he was also loud._

 _"Hey! I'm talking to you-" his mother covered his mouth with her hand, muffling any further outburst..._

...The crown prince of today had not changed by much. He was still loud, whiny, and demanding.

"Sasuke!"

If anything he'd gotten worse.

Ignoring all protocol for a Prince, Naruto met them just outside the Imperial city limits on horseback. His own guards flanked at his sides warily eyed the Uchiha caravan as it approached but their charge was all smiles. He trotted his horse up quickly to Sasuke's and clapped the Uchiha on the back as soon as he was in reach.

"You should be in the palace." Sasuke admonished, leaning away before Naruto caused their horses to bump into each other.

"Is that how you say hello to me after so long?! I missed you!"

Sasuke frowned, the tips of his ears burning. This was why everyone in the capital liked to whisper about the Prince behind his back. He was too affectionate. Too open. His parents had indulged his nature far too much when he was younger.

"Hey, Sasuke did you miss me too?" Naruto asked and the Uchiha's upper lip curled.

"Of course not."

"Huh?" Naruto blinked. "Then why are you here so early? The wedding's not till Spring."

"I'm not here for a-"

Naruto looked at him expectantly and it dawned on Sasuke that something was wrong. Here was the future leader of Konoha outside of the protection of the city with only a small handful of guards allowing him the free reign to ride. No one was tense. No one seemed even bothered that there was an enemy invading their land.

The revelation sent a chill down his spine.

He looked back at the caravan behind him. For now, all was calm but it shouldn't be. The Imperial city should be on high alert by now from Shisui's warning. Kakashi had said he was on his way here to warn the Emperor.

"What are you here for?" Naruto asked worriedly, his ever-present smile finally slipping away. "What's wrong?"

Sasuke shook his head but didn't reply.

Something wasn't right here.

Snapping his reigns, Sasuke pressed his horse faster and Naruto instinctively followed him. They separated from the rest of the caravan much to their guards' disapproval. Naruto, now distracted by the escape, let out a whoop of excitement and spurred his horse on faster.

"Let's go! I'm gonna beat you!"

"Che." Sasuke scoffed. "Fucking idiot."

Although he was not one to lose to Naruto even if the man was in a race of one.

 **...**

"Whew, I think we lost 'em. Did you see the look on their faces?! Ah, that was amazing."

Sasuke rolled his eyes and led his horse to the river. The black stead gratefully dipped it's neck towards the cool stream and drank to his heart's content.

"I beat ya, ya know. That means you owe me." Naruto bragged, slinging an arm around Sasuke's neck.

Sasuke promptly attempted to shrug him off but Naruto only laughed.

"Ne Sasuke tell me what's up."

"Get off of me you idiot."

With one last stab in the side from the Uchiha's elbow, Naruto finally let go with a grunt. Causing bodily harm to anyone within the imperial family was a crime punishable by death which Sasuke found to truly be a shame. Naruto could use a few good beatings.

"Have you received word from my brother?" Sasuke asked as he watched Naruto dramatically clutch at his side.

"That hurt!" he groaned but upon seeing the furrowing of Sasuke's brow he straightened up. "Why would your brother send word here? Isn't that your Dad's job?"

Sasuke frowned. This wasn't good.

"Itachi was the new Commander."

"Really? Did your dad get sick or something? Wait- what do you mean _was_?"

Naruto was dense but he wasn't this clueless. If he was in the dark then that meant everyone else was as well. The Imperial city was not as safe as the elders had hoped. Sasuke hesitated for a moment, unsure whether to divulge what he knew to the man but what choice did he have?

"Naruto...the former Commander was captured-"

"Captured? What? How-" Naruto interrupted but Sasuke held up a hand to stop him.

"Itachi went with our personal forces to find him but as of now, the mission is considered compromised and a failure. We have secured the District as best as we could but the threat is too great to handle on our own."

When he finished he watched the information wash over his companion. He waited for Naruto do something. Babble insistently. March back to the Imperial Palace and demand an audience with the Emperor. Any kind of action would have been welcome but instead, Naruto simply stared back at him with sad blue eyes.

"Is...is Itachi dead?" he asked but Sasuke looked away.

Everyone thought that his brother had been defeated. He didn't. It was odd but he felt as if he'd know in his bones that his brother no longer walked among the living. There was still so much that Itachi had left unfinished. He was supposed to be the leader of their clan. He was the rightful heir that had been groomed to rule. Naruto didn't press him further on Itachi but the air between them thickened. Grasping awkwardly at straws, the blonde continued.

"How is your mother handling this? Losing a husband and a son can't be easy-"

"My mother is none of your concern." Sasuke snapped although he knew he shouldn't. It was an honest question one would ask a friend. Naruto had no idea what had transpired the last few months. He didn't know. He didn't know anything. The Uchiha clenched his fist, nails digging viciously into the fleshy part of his palm.

"What should concern you is the invading forces of Kumo and Suna."

"They're here? How is that possible? The Shogunate said that Suna was brought to heel on the last campaign and Kumo has never been an issue before."

Sasuke looked back at Naruto, his upper lip curling with distaste at the distant reverence in the man's skepticism.

 _The Shogunate_ was the problem.

 **...**

 _ **The** **Twentieth** **Fall of the Hato**_

 _ **Imperial City- Uchiha**_ ** _Estate_**

 _ **...**_

"Is there anything else I can help you with Uchiha-sama?"

Hinata looked back at the attendant in the doorway. She was what many people would have called beautiful if her station were not so low. Tall, slender, and pale. Uchiha Izumi was a woman whose beauty was simple but could turn heads if she chose to. If she didn't wear the robes of a servant. If she wasn't kept away from the world inside the rarely used estate in the Imperial city. Usually the position of head attendant in a household, even one as unattended as this, went to women who were older and far more experienced than she was. There were no wrinkles to give away her age, her face flawless save for a small beauty mark near her right eye.

She was too young to be here.

Too pretty.

"Uchiha-sama?" Izumi asked again, drawing Hinata's attention.

"How old are you?" she blurted out. Immediately she flushed at her own lack of finesse and covered her traitorous mouth. The corner of Izumi's lips twitched slightly but the rest of her face remained unfazed. Whatever was happening behind those dark eyes of hers were a mystery. Hinata slowly lowered her hands and swallowed the lump in her throat. This was not how she'd intended to interact with the clan members that resided in the capital.

"I'm sorry, you don't have to answer. I just-"

"I will be twenty-nine when the leaves finish turning." Izumi said smoothly, unfazed by Hinata's babbling.

Twenty-nine. That was still too young to be the head attendant of a household. It was a responsibility usually left to spinsters and widows-neither of which fit her description.

"I will be twenty-one this winter." Hinata supplied, hoping to ease the tense air in the room. At this information, Izumi's mouth twitched again.

"I know."

Mentally Hinata kicked herself. Of course, she would know. She was supposed to know everything about those she was to care for.

"Is that all Uchiha-sama?" Izumi asked and Hinata quickly nodded.

Although she wished to be kind to all of her attendants, Izumi did not seem like one who would welcome such companionship. Even Temari hadn't been this cold when they first met. Speaking of cold, a shiver ran down her spine as the room door closed and the chill of the room took precedence. The Uchiha property in the Imperial city was smaller than the Shiro but still one of the most extravagant homes around. It was immaculately kept in anticipation for Sasuke's arrivals throughout his life. It would not due for a son of the main family to live amongst dust and cobwebs when he came to represent the clan.

They didn't have to do much to prepare for their short notice arrival. Windows had been flung open to air out unused rooms and a cursory sweep of all the floors added to giving the home a fresher feel. Fresher and colder. Hinata shivered again and walked towards the window to look out at the city below. People bustled about in the streets below, a small crowd forming just beyond the small stone gate that surrounded the Uchiha property. All it took was their caravan arriving in the early hours of the morning and by afternoon they were swamped with onlookers. It wasn't every day that so many Uchiha arrived.

Absently Hinata stroked her mother's opal necklace and tried to search through the curious throngs for Sasuke. He'd taken off from their group so quickly without any explanation. They may be safer in the capital but that didn't stop the worrisome feelings in the pit of her stomach. Although those could be attributed to fear or menstrual cramps. Both, of course, were equal culprits.

"Hinata are you in - oh there you are." Temari called, poking her head into the room.

Hinata turned away from the window and smiled, grateful for the momentary distraction. Her attendant slid open the door fully to allow passage for those behind her. Trunks of silks, jewelry, and toiletries were marched into the room under her direction. When the last of her possessions arrived Sakura brought up the rear, her head held high but resolute in her refusal for direct eye contact.

"Maybe we brought too much stuff." Hinata mumbled guiltily as she looked around the now crowded room. Temari clicked her tongue and waved the guards out of the room for privacy.

"This is the capital Hinata. You could not possibly arrive with less."

This was true but did nothing to assuage her guilt.

"So now, we need to get you ready for tonight." Temari sighed and started rummaging through the nearest trunk. Sakura joined her albeit reluctantly.

" _Tonight_?" Hinata asked. "What's happening tonight?"

They only just arrived. All social obligations were supposed to happen tomorrow or at least that's what she'd expected anyway. Temari pulled out a simple navy yukata with silver branches and appraised it thoughtfully.

"The Empress herself sent a personal attendant to Mikoto-sama for dinner tonight. She expressed how excited she is to meet an old friend."

"But Mikoto-sama is...she's..."

Hinata's voice caught in her throat and her eyes started to burn. How could the Empress not know? They'd sent out an announcement of her passing months ago.

"Black is more appropriate." Sakura interjected, pulling out a simple black yukata.

"The time for mourning has passed." Temari countered. "In Suna, we do not dwell on the dead for more than a moon."

"This is not Suna."

Temari glared at the girl but let the silk she was holding fall. She was right. Outside the window the noise of the crowd grew louder, drawing the women's attention away from the morose situation they were dealing with. Quickly they scurried to the open window to find the crowds even thicker than before. They cheered excitedly as two men on horses slowly trotted their way through. Hinata felt some of the tension in her shoulders dissipate as she instantly recognized Sasuke who was visibly irritated but unharmed. His companion, however, was not someone she knew.

He waved to the people that surrounded them and smiled so brightly that he was reminiscent of the sun. It was almost blinding to look at him. How he was able to look so happy while being mobbed was so...strange. As if he could hear her thoughts over the din of the crowd, blue eyes turned up to her window. He stared for a moment, his jaw slackening as his smile disappeared. Despite the crowd jostling his horse the strange man continued to stare until Sasuke came up to his side.

Without looking away he pointed up at the window and mouthed words that she couldn't make out. Sasuke followed his line of sight to her and dark eyes met her own. Slowly the din of the crowd, the oddness of the pointing man, and all of her other worries slipped away. As he looked her up and down, blood rushed to her cheeks. Suddenly Sakura closed the window and drew the curtains much to Hinata's disappointment.

"That man should learn some manners. Who the hell points and leers at women he doesn't know?" she huffed and Temari chuckled on Hinata's other side.

" _That_ is the future Emperor of Konoha."

 _ **...**_

 _ **To be continued...**_

 _Scrawny tomcat!_

 _Are you starving for fish and mice_

 _Or pining away for love?_

 ** _(Matsuo Basho)_**

 **Story Rec Corner**

 _Love Goes (Like This) is a SasuHina one-shot that blows me away. I don't like one-shots. I tend to just skip over them but this one is so beautiful. Please be sure to leave the writer reviews because they definitely earned it._

 _The Pickle Jar is a story that is for people who simply want an easy read. Its a definite crack pairing (Kakashi x Ayame) but very interesting to read. Serious quality in my opinion. It gets circuitous and rambling at times but it makes sense in context. Give it a try if you're bored._

 _Ultimatum is an olderRin x Sesshomaru story that I love going back to again and again. It's hard to find good stories of this pairing so give it a look and leave a review. (Seriously review because the Inuyasha fandom has lots of lurkers but low feedback)_


	31. Chapter 31

**CCnote: I think I should have been more specific about where I drew inspo from lol. So many of you chose Arya Stark who I adore. However no one got the answer right but Phoenix-Nox-Lover and Mel in the Mitten were on the right track with Lin Siniang and Tomoe. (I think they've been paying attention to my love of history and niche facts so great try lol)**

 **Hanabi is inspired by a famous onna bugeisha (female samurai) named Takeko Nakano. She was one of the last great onna bugeisha. Not gonna spoil Takeko's story for you though so go look her up yourself. However, I found Takeko to be inspirational for writing a female character like Hanabi. A girl who just can't go down without a fight. My goal with this story is to write female characters in a not so run of the mill way. IDK how well I'll do but we'll see when this is over.**

 **So yea! There are lots of great female** **bad asses** **throughout history. You will literally fall down a rabbit hole of interesting reading some of this stuff.**

 **ANYWAY please enjoy and don't forget to leave a REVIEW!**

 _Scrawny tomcat!_

 _Are you starving for fish and mice?_

 _Or pining away for love?_

 **(Matsuo Basho)**

 **Fair**

 _ **The Sixteenth Fall of the Suzume**_

 _ **Location Unknown**_

 _ **...**_

The first thing Hanabi learned about the ocean was that it was dark and vast and endless. She was but a speck among the waves, barely able to keep her head up long enough to take a breath.

The second thing she learned about the ocean was that it tasted terrible.

Hunched over in the sand, she vomited until all of the water she'd ingested was gone. At that point the only thing left behind was the tangy, pungent taste of salt and bile. She would have felt embarrassed for her weakness had she the capacity to think of anything beyond nearly dying. Unfortunately, death was still right around the corner. Or in this case, just down the sandy strait.

"Can you walk?" Itachi asked and Hanabi looked up.

He stood before her unfazed by the harrowing escape into the sea. While her body felt as if it had been shattered he was nonplussed. If he hadn't been soaked from head to toe she would have believed him to have simply been taking a stroll along the beach.

 _'How delightful_.' Hanabi thought sarcastically as she climbed onto wobbly feet.

It was a struggle to breathe let alone stand but somehow she managed to do both. Itachi grabbed her elbows to steady her when she felt herself tilt forward. Her nose pressed into the wet front of his yukata and she groaned.

"I always wanted to see the ocean." she whined. "Not like _this_ but I really wanted to see it."

"It will be the last thing you see if you don't get a move on." Fugaku growled from behind them.

Hanabi scrunched up her eyes at the reminder and pushed away from the Commander's steady form. Despite being irritated with Fugaku his words rang loud and clear. Almost as clear as the drums in the distance. She sucked in a sharp breath, leftover water stinging her nostrils, and stared out at the ships now all lit up and on alert. It wouldn't take long for a suitable search party was organized and out looking for them. Their escape had only just begun.

"Don't leave tracks. Stick to the water." the Commander instructed as he walked over to his stooped father and wrapped one arm around his waist.

The older man looked as if he wanted to protest the assistance but wasn't given the chance. The Commander was already starting their journey down the shoreline. Hanabi glance back at the ships, her heart clenching as the flames of their enemy reflected on the black water. For now, they would run. They would run and hide and live to see another day.

But...

One day she would see them again and they would be the ones locked in boxes. That she swore.

In the meantime, she stuck to the water as the Commander had told her to. The black water lapped to the back of her knees and thighs. Walking against the tide was difficult but she knew first hands that there were more troublesome trials to face. All this required was for her to put one foot in front of the other.

 **...**

 _ **The Twenty-Seventh Fall of the Karasu**_

 _ **Location Unknown**_

 _ **...**_

It was in the early hours of the dawn that Itachi decided to finally bring their small company to rest. The tide was steadily drawing further out into the ocean and the brighter it became the easier it would be to get spotted. It was either remain on the beach or seek the cover of the forest. The forest was less than ideal but what choice did they have? As quickly as he could, he made a tangent towards the treeline with his father. Once they were within the shade, Itachi went in as far as he dared before carefully lowering his father to the ground.

The older man grunted as he was leaned up against a tree but made no further indication to his discomfort. Well, at least not verbally. Physically however the man was worse for wear. His skin was nearly translucent from spending so long cramped in the dark. What wasn't pale was dotted with patches of bruises that ranged from a nearly healed yellow to a sickening purple. It didn't help that the rise and fall of his chest was shaky from clearly suppressed coughs.

"You gonna be okay old man?" Hanabi asked as she strode past Itachi and squatted next to him.

His father's eyes narrowed at her impudence but his coughing fit got the better of him. This was not good. They wouldn't get far in broad daylight, his father's condition would not allow them to go further than they already had, and the 'forest' was so thin that he could see the shoreline through the trees. For now, all they could do was hope that Kami would keep them hidden and the enemy off their trail. At that thought, Itachi got an idea. He might not be able to predict what the enemy would do but he could hide them marginally better than they could run.

"Cover him." he said and the Hyuuga looked back at him incredulously.

"What?"

He didn't reply, instead, he began to gather what he could from the sandy-soil mixed ground. Leaves, twigs, bits of driftwood. Anything was better than nothing. Eventually, the Hyuuga caught on and started building up a barrier of the sandy soil around his father who tiredly glared at them both.

"Do you plan on burying me alive?" he growled and Itachi smirked.

"It's better than you being dead."

"He can't die yet." the Hyuuga smirked. "He's got some unfinished business-"

"Hush brat."

Itachi pressed his lips in a tight line as the Hyuuga stuck out her tongue at the half covered man. Others had earned their tongues cut out for less. In any other context it would have been amusing but right now...right now they needed to focus on not being caught.

"Go to sleep father. I will wake you when it's time to move." Itachi said calmly and the man in question frowned but kept his complaints to himself. Or really just his pride. They all knew that he was in no condition to proceed further.

Quietly Itachi and the Hyuuga worked to cover his father as best as they could. In the end, they covered his face with the flattest piece of driftwood that they could find and stood to inspect their work. It wasn't great but it was the best that they could do. Only mildly satisfied, Itachi turned to the Hyuuga who looked as if she were about to fall asleep where she was standing.

"Do you know how to climb a tree?" he asked and at this, the girl brightened.

"I could climb the highest out of anyone in the main house." she said proudly.

Itachi quirked a brow at her slip of information. The main house? There were no girls her age in the main house...As he slowly put the pieces together, the Hyuuga started climbing a nearby tree. She easily scaled up the rough bark until she reached the lowest branch, giving little regard to how scratched her inner thighs would become, and pulled herself up. She went from the second to the third branch. Third to the fourth. She then looked down at him with a coy smile as if she were seeking approval. Unfortunately, if he could see her, so could those looking for them. With a wave of his hand, he told her to go higher and the Hyuuga pouted but did as instructed. Higher and higher until her pale legs were no longer visible to the forest floor below.

"That's one stupid boy." his father grumbled sleepily and Itachi let out a short breath of agreement.

Any other boy would have at least questioned why he made him climb a tree. Then again, the Hyuuga was not a boy. She was a girl. One that was all too trusting and possessed eyes that were easy to identify.

 _'I could climb the highest out of anyone in the main house.'_

There weren't many girls in the Hyuuga main house. Just his soon to be former wife and her sister...

... _She was a shy little thing and skittish too. Uchiha women were not known for being this diminutive. Then again they were basically strangers. It made sense that Hinata would not be so bold when they barely knew each other. Perhaps that was why she looked so shocked at his words._

 _Even he had to admit that thirteen was a young age to see battle. It was rare but not entirely unheard of. He didn't really care though. Being as proficient as he was in battle earned him the respect of his men and his father. Absently, he led Hinata away from the path to the main house and towards the rose bushes in the courtyard._

 _As long as he was alive and successful the people within the Uchiha District would never go hungry. Their land and people would remain safe...and..._

 _Sasuke would never have to walk over bodies or clean a blade so red that it was black._

 _Pushing that thought aside, Itachi picked one of the early blooms from the rose bush. It was a small white rose, it's petals momentarily painted orange by the sunset. Although an early bloom, it was beautiful in its own right. Careful of the thorns he handed the rose to Hinata to distract her stormy thoughts but she didn't accept it._

 _"You started fighting so young." she whispered, her bottom lip quivered._

 _"I have upset you-"_

 _"It..it's just that you didn't get a chance to be a child."_

 _To be a child...what an odd concept._

 _He'd been trained to be a warrior from the moment he could hold a sword. Well, some would say a warrior...others would label him a monster... Itachi plastered a smile on his face and put the rose in Hinata's hair. He did not wish to think about such things right now. His thoughts were usually dark. For now, his wife would be a welcome distraction from his own morbidity._

 _So he asked her what brought her happiness. It was a simple enough question for a girl of twenty. Silks. Jewelry. To hear her gush about trivial things -anything really- would have been welcome. Instead, her answer was not what he expected._

 _Hanabi._

 _She wished to have her sister at her side. A girl of sixteen who, from Hinata's descriptions, was more trouble than she was worth. Yet the way those pale eyes lit up when she recounted her memories made him think it would be alright. The District was in desperate need for a bit of levity..._

... Hyuuga Hanabi.

Itachi frowned as he started to climb the tree his father was buried at. As preposterous as it was, it appeared that he'd been able to keep his promise after all. Unfortunately, if his suspicions were correct and the girl was, in fact, Hanabi he would have to return her to her clan first. The battlefield was no place for a teenage girl. When all of this was over- if it ever ended- he would reunite the sisters. For now, he didn't have time to worry about that.

All he could do was climb up into a tree of his own, keep watch, and formulate a plan so that they would see another dawn.

 **...**

 _ **The Sixteenth Fall of the Suzume**_

 _ **Location Unknown**_

 _ **...**_

It was so dark when she awoke that for a split second Hanabi feared she'd been returned to the box. That cold, black box that smelled of mold and piss. It made her tremble and take a shaky breath. It was that small intake of oxygen- fresh and salty- that gave her the reassurance that she needed. She wasn't trapped anymore. No one was going to come and beat her again. She was safe...for now.

Down below there was another rustle and a whisper of Hyuuga.

 _'I guess that's my cue.'_ Hanabi thought, looking around to reorient herself with her surroundings.

She couldn't see the ground anymore but she supposed that was a good thing considering the circumstances. She didn't mind being so high up nor the fact that sleeping in a tree was not an ideal location. As carefully as she could she climbed down on stiff limbs, jumping the last foot and landing not so gracefully but still on her feet.

The Commander and his father were already standing when she arrived although the older man looked even worse than before. He was slumping more of his weight against his son, the bags under his eyes darker as if he hadn't slept at all. Hanabi opened her mouth to ask if he was going to be alright but decided against it. She was supposed to 'worry about herself' after all.

Silently she fell into step behind the two men back towards the shore. They'd walked far enough away that they could no longer see the ships but they still had a long way to go. Hanabi shivered when they reached the water. It was so cold! Not only that it had taken all day for her yukata to become dry. At this rate, she was going to catch ill if she kept wearing wet clothing. Unintendedly she let out a small squeak and the Commander looked back at her.

"You'll get used to it quickly."

Hanabi rolled her eyes and tried not to mock him when his back was turned. Reluctantly she wadded out into the water until it reached the back of her knees and tried not to think about the chill of the tide. If there was one thing Hanabi was good at, it was distracting herself. The rolling of the ocean tides was steady as they crashed along the shore but it provided no entertainment.

Overhead the sky was clear and expansive but there was no moon to be had. Instead thousands, or perhaps millions, of stars twinkled brightly. It was breathtaking and made her pause in her trek. Just how many stars were there in the sky? Did the scholars know? She scrunched her brow and tried to count but quickly gave up upon reaching more than her fingers could count. Mathematics had never been her strong suit.

"Keep up." the Commander called from over his shoulder.

Hanabi jumped out of her thoughts and quickly splashed through the water to reach them. Once she was at pace she looked back up at the sky.

"Hey Commander." she started curiously, making sure to keep her voice low. "How many stars are there?"

Both Uchiha's grunted in response but Fugaku's turned into a small cough.

"What care do you have for the stars?" he asked and Hanabi huffed.

"Have you not looked up? It's beautiful."

"Beautiful. Man has little use for beauty brat. It all fades eventually. Every woman's looks will disappear if she lives long enough. Every man's strength as well."

"Well, the stars don't die. They're not like men."

"Hn."

Hanabi folded her arms across her chest at his lack of a response. Fugaku was a grouchy old stick in the mud. One would have thought that freedom would have improved his attitude.

"Some say that the stars are the souls of those who have died." the Commander said, breaking the awkward silence.

Hanabi blinked, her curiosity reignited.

"How do they get up there if their bodies are in the ground?" she asked.

The Commander adjusted his father's weight slightly and continued.

"When our bodies are burned, our souls are returned to the heavens. It is said that the stars are our ancestors watching over us."

"If our bodies are burned how do we come back?"

"Come back?" Fugaku snorted. "There is but this one life."

"Not true!" Hanabi protested. "We never ever burned anyone in the Compound. Your body has to be returned to the Earth to come back."

At least that was the way her father had explained it to her. Hanabi scrunched her brow in frustration. Although she wasn't explaining it as eloquently as he had she knew it to be true. How could this one life be all there was? Beside her, the Commander stopped walking, an inquisitive look in his eyes.

"The Hyuuga believe in reincarnation?" he asked though it sounded like more of a statement.

Hanabi nodded emphatically, a bit of her self-confidence returning.

"My father said that is why we are buried in the Earth to come back when we are needed."

"Burned or buried...I suppose we will see who is right eventually." Itachi replied pensively before trailing off.

She, on the other hand, did not need to 'suppose'. This life was just one of many. The Commander looked away from her, adjusting his father again, and started to walk once more through the black water.

"Come Hyuuga. We have a long journey ahead of us until dawn."

 **...**

The second night after their escape found them traipsing through a dense forest. Good for hiding, not so much for walking. It was also disconcerting because now that all of the adrenaline and fear had left the Hyuuga's veins, hunger possessed her. It was a lot harder to distract herself when her stomach was threatening to eat her from the inside out. Her stomach growled for the umpteenth time that night and she fisted the rough material of her yukata. She would not complain. She would not complain. There were worse things to endure than this.

He stomach growled again but this time when it reached the Commander's ears he stopped abruptly.

"Let's stop." he ordered.

"Why are we stopping?" Fugaku wheezed stubbornly as Itachi shifted him to lean against a tree. "I can't keep going."

"I am the one in need of a break." the Commander replied with a roll of his eyes.

Hanabi shared his sentiment. They both knew that the old man was too proud to say he needed a break. They'd been walking for hours in the dark which was a difficult enough task. Coupled with his injuries, sickness, and hunger it was best to not push their luck. Reluctantly Fugaku sank to the ground. Tired dark eyes closed as soon as he was safely on the ground and within minutes he was asleep. Hanabi smirked and sat down as well.

"It looks like he needed a break after all." she whispered before absently picking at the grass near her feet. "Hey, Commander...where are we going?"

The man in question let out a slow breath through his nose and folded his hands into the sleeves of his yukata. Inwardly Hanabi admonished herself. Who was she to question the directions of her superior? Of course, he knew where they were going. he had a plan. He always did. Besides if it wasn't for him she'd still be trapped in a box.

"You don't have to answer that. Wherever you're going is fine." she mumbled, averting her gaze from the Commander's stony face.

"Your curiosity has vanished." he asked. His response surprised Hanabi but she shook her head. "Why?"

Why indeed. If she were being honest it really didn't matter where they were headed. As long as she was free she was content. Besides, she'd made a promise to Shisui. She hadn't been much help up to this point but she would do better. She would improve and stay vigilant and one day... One day she might actually be a person of use to the Commander and Shisui and not just the imposter she currently was. Resolute, Hanabi looked up at the Uchiha and answered.

"Whatever your plan is I will follow you." she said and the Commander cocked his head slightly to the side.

"Is that so..." he mumbled pensively before his eyes turned sharp. "If that is the case, _who_ are you because you most certainly are not a boy."

All of the blood in her body felt as if it had vanished in that instant. Defensively she covered her chest with her arms but it was far too late for her to hide. He had already seen her when he'd dressed her wounds. She hoped that her obvious mortification would be enough for him to drop the subject but that was a pipe dream. She did not belong within the ranks of his men solely because she wasn't a man.

Moegi had warned her of the harsh punishments of liars and deserters. Not only that...if they discovered that she was a girl, worse could happen. Hanabi bit the inside of her cheek nervously and took half a step back. The Commander frowned and crossed his arms over his chest.

"Tell me now or we part ways here."

"But-"

"Hyuuga." he replied sternly, sending a chill down her spine.

Hanabi took a deep breath. What choice did she have but to tell him the truth?

"I ran away." she said breathless and the Commander nodded, prompting her to continue. "I...I was supposed to get married. I did actually... _technically_."

"Was your husband a tyrant?"

"Of course not!"

Neji was a stick in the mud but he was the furthest thing from tyrannical. Any woman would be lucky to marry him!

"Was your clan cruel?"

"No, my father said it was in my best interest-" she replied defensively but the Commander cut her off.

"So a girl from one of the wealthiest clans in Konoha was matched well and you ran away?"

"I-"

"Do you realize how many girls dream of having a bed to sleep in and the assurance of a next meal? Many of them couldn't even fathom the life you've carelessly thrown away-"

"What do you know!" Hanabi snapped back, enraged at how patronizing he was. "You're the Commander! You can do what you want and say what you want. You have power because of that thing between your legs. Yet I have to be alright with saying yes to everything and pretending to be satisfied with a life that doesn't matter! It's not fair!"

Hanabi snapped her hands over her mouth at the end of her outburst. She'd been far too loud and much too honest. At the base of the tree, Fugaku coughed.

"Life isn't fair brat." he wheezed as he struggled to get to his feet. "It's about time you learned that."

The Commander moved to assist him but was waved off. Instead, he hobbled over to Hanabi and roughly grabbed her chin, tilting her face upward.

"Life will be especially unfair for people like you who do not accept their place in the world."

Slowly Hanabi's hands fell from her mouth and she narrowed her eyes. Her place was wherever she decided to be and right now it was with the Commander. She would not be dissuaded by either Uchihas' attitude on the matter. She'd already made a promise and she intended to keep it. However, Fugaku surprised her when the corners of his tired eyes crinkled and a smirk played at the edges of his lips. His rough fingers released her chin and turned to Itachi.

"If being beaten and nearly drowned hasn't killed her yet you may as well keep her around. Clearly, Kami favors this one." he said and Hanabi's mouth fell open.

"Old man-"

"Don't think that we will treat you any differently though brat. If you get hurt I have no qualms about leaving you-" he continued but Hanabi couldn't contain her happiness. She launched herself at him, wrapping her arms around his waist and hugging him tightly.

"I know. I know. I'll worry about myself."

Fugaku stiffened in her embrace, mumbling something about women and their sensitivities before pushing her away. The Hyuuga's smile merely broadened. Unfortunately, the Commander found his father's capitulation to be less than ideal if his frown was anything to go by. However, he kept silent and turned to sling Fugaku's arm around his neck.

"Let's go." he said and proceeded through the forest.

Hanabi followed behind them, stepping where they did and keeping as silent as possible. She would not get in their way. She would not be a burden. Even though the Commander clearly had his reservations about having her around she would prove him wrong.

' _That'_ she thought. ' _Is a promise I'm making to myself._ '

 _ **To be continued**_...

 _Cranes_

 _flapping carelessly_

 _test the sky's upper limits_

 **(Inahata Teiko)**

 _ **Story Rec Corner**_

 _End of Days is a oneshot. I know, I know, I've previously said that hate oneshots and I do. However if one is able to grab my attention I will sing it's praises from the rooftops. Anyway this is a cute SasuHina fic about finding your soulmate. It's equal parts fluff, angst, and romance._

 _Sleepwalking is truly one of the hidden gems on this site. Do you like Naruto? Do you like Ino? WELP if you answered yes go check out this story. It's so freaking adorable and well written. The author has a great grasp of the characters even in an improbably situation._

 _Change is a beautiful Zutara fanfic that stays as close to the canon story line as possible but diverges in such a believable way. The author has clearly done their research and paid enough attention to detail that you can get lost in the narrative. This literally could have been the way the show eneded no problem._


	32. Chapter 32

**CCNote** : **This chapter was fun to write for me so I hope you enjoy reading it. I love knowing that my updates make your day just a tiny bit better.**

 **ANYWAY please enjoy and don't forget to leave a REVIEW!**

 **Amaterasu and Susanoo**

 _Cranes_

 _flapping carelessly_

 _test the sky's upper limits_

 **(Inhata Teiko)**

 **...**

 **The Twenty-Seventh Fall of the Karasu**

 **Location Unknown**

...

It was just before dawn when the sky opened up and rain fell. Taking to a nearby forest for shelter was not an option. It was already dangerous enough that they were traversing away from the ocean and towards the plains of Konoha. Being out in the open like this with nothing but darkness at their backs made his hair stand on end.

Fortunately, there was a lone small farm settlement alongside the well-trodden path that. It looked as is all it needed was a strong gust of wind to blow and that would be the end of its existence. Itachi was unsure if the hut was occupied or not. If not the gods were smiling down on them...otherwise...He frowned and pressed on leading his companions up the hill.

Now was not the time to think of 'otherwise'.

As they got closer he found it odd that the small home lacked any activity. There was no sign of movement or any sound to be heard. He would have believed the place to be abandoned until they got just outside the dirt road that lay between them and the building. It was filled with the indentations of horse hooves and the feet of soldiers. They created little brown pools in the mud and a warning to all that looked upon them.

Itachi looked in either direction of the dirt road and frowned. The flat grassland would have allowed him visibility for miles but the fog and rain limited him greatly. At his side, he heard the small gasp of the Hyuuga over the rain and before he could stop her, she was already running behind the house where a pair of feet were sticking out.

His father grumbled at her impudence but was quickly silenced by the sound of retching. Alarmed, Itachi hobbled with his father to the side of the house where he left him leaning against the splintering wood. Once free he rounded around the house with a hand on his katana, ready to fight if the need arose. Unfortunately, he was meant with no one to fight. Any soul that might have posed a threat was already dead.

Lined up side by side was a family of three. A father. A mother. A little girl. Their throats had been slit and their eyes gouged, forever to lay open as a punishment. Or perhaps it was a warning. The united forces of Kumo and Suna were likely looking for them. By the number of tracks in the mud, he knew the search party had been by, albeit a small one so as to move faster. They'd arrived at this lonely shack seeking fugitives but were instead met with peasants. Peasants who had nothing to say and nor see. It didn't take much for bored underlings to find their own sources of fun when met with empty leads.

All that was left were their bodies and a Hyuuga that silently mourned their untimely deaths.

With a heavy sigh, Itachi turned away and went to collect his father. It made sense that she be torn by such a sight- one he'd seen more times than he could count. War, conflict, came at a cost and it was one that the most innocent among them had to pay. They did not deserve the fates that had befallen them. None of them did but they continued on as they always had because they had no choice.

Because the only way to prevent the bloodshed of their own was to spill that of others.

When Itachi reached his father, the man looked up at him with weary dark eyes and thick rivets of rain that trailed his forehead and cheeks.

"I'm assuming the house is clear." he said hoarsely.

Itachi answered with a still nodded and his father closed his eyes. They stood there for a moment, regardless of the rain or danger. They stood and breathed as they always did...as the family behind the house would no longer do. A few heartbeats passed between them before Itachi silently grabbed his father, steadying him as he'd done before, and lead him into the house.

 _ **...**_

 _ **The Sixteenth Fall of the Suzume**_

 _ **Location Unknown**_

 _ **...**_

People, Hanabi decided, were disgusting.

As she wiped her mouth with the back of her hand she closed her eyes in a futile attempt to block out the bodies. she would never get the image of them from behind her eyelids. Why? Why would someone do this? It wasn't like she hadn't seen this before. The village she and the Commander had tried to investigate had been in worse shape than this. There were way more dead but here...these three...

Hanabi felt bile rise in the back of her throat but she pushed it down. Now was not the time to fall ill at the sight of death. There were two fully stocked armies on their borders, allied and already descending upon the people of Konoha. There would be more homesteads and villages with carnage just like this. She had to get over this. She had to.

Slowly she opened her eyes but looked out to the field around the house. She couldn't do much for these people. It was likely her fault that they were dead in the first place. If they hadn't escaped a search party wouldn't have made them their playthings.

"No." Hanabi whispered to herself, spotting a shovel leaning against a tree.

This wasn't her fault.

She stood up on shaky feet and walked the short distance to retrieve the tool. It was was heavy in her hand, the wood smooth and well worn from countless years of use. How many times had this father used the shovel to grow food for his family? Food that they would no longer be able to eat...

This wasn't her fault.

Near the base of the tree, she tapped around it, searching for give in the earth that wasn't blocked by roots. The shovel sank into the ground easily since it was already wet from the rain. It had been so hot lately that the mother had probably prayed for rain.

This wasn't her fault.

She hadn't been digging for long before her wrists began to hurt and her calfs screamed. She hadn't eaten in over two days and had been running for just as long. Who was she to complain? The little girl she dug a grave for would never be able to run or play again.

This wasn't her fault but... that didn't stop the nagging feeling in the pit of her stomach that told her that it was.

 _ **...**_

 _ **The Twenty-Seventh Fall of the Karasu**_

 _ **Location Unknown**_

 _ **...**_

The inside of the small home had been ransacked thoroughly by the murderous search party. Anything that looked to be of immediate value had been snatched away and a mess left in their wake. Thankfully they left a few things that were of use to those patient enough to take a second look around. Dried fish. A pitifully small bag of rice. Ointment for wounds. It was just a few simple things but they suited the Uchiha's needs just fine.

Itachi immediately set to using the ointment on his father who, upon closer inspection, was in worse condition than he'd previously thought. His body was riddled with wounds, old and new...some half healed and other infected. The salvaged ointment would not do much for him but as with everything that day it was better than nothing. It would likely suit the needs of the Hyuuga better but she was too occupied with her own sense of duty.

Speaking of which, it was becoming very clear that Hyuuga Hanabi the strangest person- man or woman- that he'd ever encountered.

Not many would go through the trouble of burying strangers regardless of their spiritual beliefs. There would always be more dead bodies than one could handle. This kind of gesture was futile and expended more energy than it was worth. Still, Itachi watched her dig from the window, a tiny thing with an iron shovel that she struggles to consistently lift.

"Why did you accept her so easily?" Itachi asked as he spread a bit of ointment evenly on a particularly nasty stab wound.

His father shrugged and let out an indignant grunt.

"We both know you wouldn't have abandoned her. You've always been a soft-hearted fool Itachi."

The younger Uchiha frowned as he dipped a finger into the small ointment container. His threats of leaving the Hyuuga alone were empty but that didn't explain his father's own actions. A woman in their midst was a liability. The man he knew, the man he'd followed into countless battles, wouldn't allow for anything to hold him back. The only thing that mattered was getting closer to his goals. Everything else could easily be ignored. Carefully, Itachi spread the dollop to a bluish purple bruise on his father's shoulder.

"Sasuke would have benefited immensely from your newfound leniency." he said evenly.

When his father didn't reply, he continued.

"I wonder what decisions he's making since he hasn't been taught how to lead? As we speak he likely has the affairs of our clan to handle. Perhaps if you had been around the District more he would have learned how to carry out your wishes."

"Sasuke." his father said through clenched teeth. "Is not the heir to the clan. _You_ are. _You_ are meant to lead-"

"And I will die before I ever do anything of the sort because of your short-sighted ambitions."

Itachi screwed the lid back on the jar and moved away from the older Uchiha.

"I need answers father." he said evenly. "Why have Suna and Kumo joined forces? Why have our allies ignored our calls to arm? Why has the Shogunate practically stabbed us in the back with our own blades?"

His father opened his mouth but then promptly closed it and absently rubbed the center of his chest with a far off look in his eyes. Itachi scowled, frustration seeping in. His father had no idea of the skirmishes that had led up to now nor the empty replies of their allies and the Shogunate. He did not know of the slaughtered village that he and the Hyuuga had happened upon before they'd been waylayed by the enemy. His captors had kept him the dark about everything. That was to be expected but no less aggravating.

His father knew nothing and that made him a greater fool than anyone.

"You once told me that a man does not plant seeds to enjoy the shade for himself. Unfortunately, the merchant you bought those 'seeds' from has given you weeds and your descendants will experience a famine, the likes of which they are utterly unprepared for."

Shame. Starvation. Dishonor.

Whatever his father's goals had been it didn't matter. What fruit he'd wrought was shriveled and sour.

"Mikoto will handle clan affairs until we return." his father mumbled but it felt as if he were trying to convince himself.

Itachi snorted and looked away. Outside the window, the Hyuuga had paused in her endeavors to wipe the sweat from her brow.

"If the Shogunate has not already laid claim to the District, to okaa-san and Sasuke, that would truly be a miracle."...

. _.. Itachi wasn't sure how old he was when he realized that something was off. In regards to his parents they never exactly seemed on. It wasn't until he reached adulthood that he knew that was not normal._

 _Like most people, he didn't remember much of his early childhood but one event stood out among the rest. He couldn't have been much older than four when he first met the Shogunate. They told him that the man's name was Danzo though he should never address him as such. Although his father was the Commander, this Danzo person held power all of Konoha's forces. He was imbued with authority directly from the Emporer and was not to be crossed._

 _Despite all of the hype, the man himself was not as impressive as Itachi had imagined. Dark hair, dark eyes, and a face that was most would find forgettable. He wasn't the intimidating figure that the Shogunate's painted on the tapestries depicted. Still, he was instructed to be polite when in the Shogunate's presence and not speak to him unless directly spoken to. Even then it was best to allow one of his minders or his parents to answer on his behalf. One wrong word from his mouth could bring shame upon their clan._

 _Such instructions were easy enough for Itachi to follow. He didn't have much that he wished to say anyway. The Shogunate didn't engage him in conversation but he was always around. Always watching._

 _When he read with his mother in the gardens, the Shogunate was more often than not observing them from the open window in his father's office._

 _When they went to see their fellow clansmen tend to the horses in the afternoon, the Shogunate would always just happen to be out for a stroll near the stables._

 _At dinner, the Shogunate would always join them even though such a custom was unnecessary after the first day._

 _There wasn't much that was said or done that Itachi remembered from that time just that things were alright one day and the next they were not. It was slow but sudden simultaneously. His mother disappeared from his side overnight and so did the ever-present Shogunate from the District. In their place were countless tutors that filled his days with lessons and the watchful eyes of his father. At four it was strange but he didn't question the shift. The only time he rebelled was to find his mother. If he inquired about her everyone lost their tongues. If he tried to sneak over to her quarters he was rushed away but sometimes...sometimes if he was in courtyard well after his bedtime he could hear her crying._

 _Then, many many moons later she returned to him but she wasn't alone. In her arms she held a squalling, red-faced baby and claimed that this was to be his younger sibling. His brother. There were many things that had changed within the District after that. Many things that at the time he was incapable of comprehending. The only thing that he wasn't confused about was the warm, fuzzy feeling that settled in the pit of his stomach when his mother passed his new brother into his arms. When the small bundle was secure in his arms, his mother backed away slightly and the weight of her trust was left behind._

 _"His name is Sasuke." she said softly._

At th _e sound of their mother's voice, the baby stopped crying. Big black eyes stared up at Itachi as if trying to figure him out. His pink mouth shifted from a wary pout to something that resembled a smile. The sight of it almost made Itachi do the same._

 _Almost._

 _"Sasuke." Itachi whispered, the name foreign but right on his tongue._

 _His mother gently caressed the top of his head and kissed his forehead. It had been a long time since she'd done such a thing. He hadn't been shown simple affections since the day she disappeared. He was to be a warrior after all and warriors did not require pointless conversations or insipid gestures. At least that's what his attendants and father assured him was true._

 _"You'll help me protect him won't you?"_

 _To protect...that was something he'd never done before. Something that he didn't quite understand. Yet, as Sasuke reached out to him with pudgy little fingers Itachi thought that maybe he could..._

.. _ **.**_

 _ **The Sixteenth Fall of the Suzume**_

 _ **Location Unknown**_

 **...**

By the time that Hanbai finished with her gruesome task, the sky had transformed from dark and cloudly to a dull gray hue. She sat exhausted in front of the freshly dug graves and closed her eyes. She wasn't sure what people didn't during funeral ceremonies but it felt right to murmur a small prayer for those whose souls had departed.

"You're finished." a flat voice said behind her and Hanabi's eyes slowly opened.

"Yea." she replied softly.

A heavy hand came down on her head for a short pat. The gesture was surprisingly gentle for a man of the Commander's size and demeanor. Hanabi leaned back on the heels of her hands to look up at the man, her mouth slightly agape. Only a cursory glance told her that he was exhausted. The stress lines of fatigue showed prominently on his face making him appear older than he was.

"Come." he said as he retracted his hand. "You've been playing with dead bodies all day and sitting in your own filth for longer."

"Hey!" Hanabi protested, jumping quickly to her feet. "What's that supposed to mean?"

The Commander shrugged and turned away, his silence spiking her irritation higher. As he walked away from her she sniffed under her arms and grimaced. She stank to the high heavens. It was only by mercy from the gods that she hadn't fainted from her own stench.

Quickly she followed on the Uchiha's heels through the forest until they reached a nearby stream. The water was slow moving but clean. This meant that it wouldn't be suitable for drinking but had likely served the descended family's purposes well. The recent rains had also filled the stream to a high crest mark, making it an ideal place to at least bathe. Or it would be if she'd been alone.

"So..." Hanabi edged casually. "How did you find this?"

The Commander quirked a dark brow at her curiously.

"That family did not appear to be lacking. If they were able to scratch out a halfway decent living from the earth, they had to have a steady and reliable source of water."

"Oh...oh!" Hanabi flushed, feeling incredibly stupid that she'd not been as observant as he had.

As if sensing her embarrassment, the Commander's usually stony mask cracked a bit to reveal an amused smirk.

"I also just finished scouting the area."

It was also at that declaration that Hanabi wished for the earth to swallow her whole. Her ineptitude was showing in abundance today.

"Go on." the Commander said with a tilt of his head towards the stream.

He then turned his back to her to provide some semblance of privacy so that she could undress. Hanabi swallowed thickly at the prospect. She'd always bathed alone, usually during cloudy nights or when there was no moon to be had. However in this instance what choice did she have? The smell radiating off of her body was near unbearable but so was her embarrassment.

Eventually, however, her pride lost out to smelling like human excrement and she began to untie the low lying obi around her waist. Her yukata barely opened. The material had become hardened by her sweat, dirt, and the salty water of the ocean. It was absolutely disgusting. Gingerly she removed the stiff blue fabric. Once she was divested of her yukata she moved to unwind her chest bindings and underclothes. She then gathered up all of the material and placed it near the bank of the swollen stream. When she slipped into the water itself, it came up to her belly button and goosebumps erupted all over her skin from the chill. Despite the awkwardness that she felt, it was nice to have the opportunity to get clean. Who knew when she would have another chance to do so?

At that thought, Hanabi submerged herself under the water and scrubbed her fingers vigorously against her scalp. Her short hair had become severely tangled during her imprisonment. So much so that if she'd gone any longer without attending to it she would have had to cut out the knots. Seeing as how she did not like her short locks that was the last thing she wished to do. When it became too difficult to hold her breath Hanabi stood up in the water and gasped for air. This was the furthest thing from the warm, sweet-smelling baths she'd been used to in the Hyuuga Compound but it would have to do.

 _'Do you realize how many girls dream of having a bed to sleep in and the assurance of a next meal? Many of the m couldn't even fathom the life that you've carelessly thrown away...'_

Hanabi pouted and dunked her head back under the water. Many girls would have been quite content with her previous station. Inside the Compound, she was safe and well cared for. She would have never had men slaughter her family and rip out their eyes like the little girl she'd only just buried.

'It's not my fault.' Hanabi thought weakly as she scrunched up her eyes in frustration when she reemerged from the water.

"The perimiter a mile around is clear. We should be alright here for a few days since the search party tracks lead West. They are likely assuming that we will head towards the capital to warn of the invasion." the Commander said, the deep tenor of his voice breaking Hanabi out of her own endless cycle of self-loathing. Now that her body was cleaner than before she reached for her clothing and started to work on that as best as she could.

"We will stay here for a few days?" she asked.

Fugaku must not be doing too well if that were the case. Although his back remained turned to her, the Commander nodded and confirmed her guess.

"We need the time to recuperate for ourselves as well. Then..."

"Then?"

"One option is to head to the capital but that would take too long and we'd likely run into the allied invaders. A more viable route is to head to the Uchiha District. If anything happens to me the forces know to double back and protect the District at all costs. It's a little known last resort."

Hanabi snorted and wrung out the soaked sleeve of her yukata.

"And you actually think that those guys are going to do that?"

"The Uchiha are loyal to their own."

Hanabi rolled her eyes and climbed out of the water. She would believe the 'loyalty' when she saw it. Until then she wouldn't hold her breath. Reluctantly she redressed in her bindings but not her yukata. It would take a few hours in the sun to dry before it would be suitable for wearing again.

"I'm done." Hanabi said as she securely tightened the last knot of her underclothes.

The Commander finally turned around and looked her up and down. His gaze was calculating as he appraised her. In fact, she had the distinct urge to cover herself but she tamped the insecurity down. A flick of his wrist indicated her to turn and she did so gratefully in order to get a break from his direct gaze.

"You still need to heal." he said finally and she looked back at him to find an outstretch jar of goo in his palm. " But you look better than the last time I saw you. Get started and I'll help you with your back."

He then promptly walked past her towards the stream, blatantly ignoring how red her face had become.

"I didn't look that bad!" she grumbled but immediately swallowed her words when he began to disrobe without warning.

His back was broad and pale and surprisingly -completely- unremarkable! Tearing her eyes away from trailing any lower, she grumbled and turned her back. He could have at least given her some kind of warning. That was the courteous thing to do!

 _'Ugh! Men!'_

 _ **...**_

 _ **The Twenty-Seventh Fall of the Karasu**_

 _ **Location Unknown**_

 _ **...**_

"In two days we will take what we can from here and make our way back to the District." Itachi said as he drew a crude map on the dirt floor of the small home.

He wasn't sure where they were in Konoha but going West would put them in familiar territory. If they waited a few days they would be behind the invading forces enough to evade detection.

His father's brow furrowed at the plan but he didn't comment. In fact, he'd been strangely silent since their argument that morning. He'd been contemplative and kept his own council for as long as Itachi could remember but this kind of compliance was unsettling.

It was only in the small signs of physical discomfort that he could glean what his father was thinking. An absent rub of his chest. The unconscious wincing every so often.

"I'll take the first watch!" the Hyuuga offered enthusiastically.

"Are you sure?"

She had expended a lot of physical energy over the last few days. They'd replenished only a bit of their nutrition needs from the dried fish in the shack but that didn't make a meal. Still, she nodded confidently and moved to take his sheathed katana. The blade was too long and heavy for her to wield it properly in combat but it was better than nothing.

Itachi parted with it reluctantly before leaning back once more against the earthen wall and closing his eyes. There was bedding to be had- plenty of it- but it felt wrong to enjoy the bed of the dead. Although his eyes were closed, sleep evaded him. This was not an uncommon occurrence. He usually only got a full night's sleep when he was in his own room at the Shiro.

The darkness was a comfort but his mind continued to race with multiple plans and all other their possible contingencies. He wondered if Shisui had been able to effectively warn the Emperor and the Shogunate of the invasion.

He worried about the state of affairs within the District and the heavy burden his mother was saddled with.

Normally his thoughts were never easy but they were in an even more turbulent state now.

"I didn't get a chance to say so earlier but...thanks for sticking up for me." the Hyuuga whispered once she was sure he was asleep.

For as long as Itachi had known his father he didn't do well with thanks or gratitude. Instead of replying the older Uchiha merely let her words hang awkwardly in the air but strangely she didn't seem to mind.

"You know..it's kinda strange talking to you without a wall between us."

"Is that so."

"Yea. You're even uglier and older looking in natural lighting but why do you keep rubbing the middle of your chest like that?"

"It's none of your concern-"

"Whatever. You should probably go to sleep though. I can handle the first watch on my own."

"Sleep is a fickle companion."

Inwardly Itachi rolled his eyes at his father's remark. A fickle companion was certainly one way to describe their shared insomnia. At least he was being less prickly towards the girl now.

"In that case do you wanna hear a story?"

"Not particularly."

"Aw c' mon. If you're going to stay awake isn't it better to be entertained?"

The Hyuuga made a rather amusing argument though it was flimsy at best. Still, from his own experience, she had a rather vivid imagination. Without waiting for a response she launched into a tale about a sun goddess Amaterasu and her brother Susanoo. Her voice was animated as she spoke but soft enough as if she were trying not to disturb Itachi's attempts at pretending to sleep. It was a pointless story to listen to but it put his mind at ease and momentarily kept more burdensome thoughts at bay. It was at the moment when Amaterasu was being coaxed out of her cave that Itachi slipped into a dreamless sleep.

He wasn't sure how long he'd been unconscious for but when he awoke he knew that it had been for too long. It was too bright inside of the small house and the birds outside chirped loudly. Wearily he rubbed his eyes and scanned the room. The Hyuuga was sleeping peacefully nearby on her side but she no longer held his katana.

And...like his blade...his father had disappeared as well...

 _ **To be continued...**_

 _It fills me with anger,_

 _this moon; it fills me_

 _and makes me whole_

 **(Takeshita Shizunojo)**

 **Story Rec Corner**

 _Unfortunately I will be retiring this segment for the time being. I'm preparing to return to America so life is hectic. Any down time will be spent writing this story to it's completion instead of reading._


	33. Chapter 33

**CCNote: I meant to post this yesterday but I was too tired after my trip. If you follow my snaps I hope you enjoyed seeing bits of Kyoto. My next trip will be to Hiroshima so be on the lookout.**

 **For guests wishing to join Discord, I'm not comfortable just posting my username freely because of harassment that I've experienced on this site. For this story, I was able to delete most of the hate but if you look at the reviews in 'Get your Date' you will see a ton of rape threats and harassment. This person literally did this to all of my stories and I had to spend hours reading those messages and trying to delete them before new readers saw them. I don't want whoever it was to get into the Discord group and wreak havoc there too. I apologize if it's inconvenient to message me but for now, this way is best.**

 **Finally to the person who asked if I write anything else. I could write for other fandoms but I don't have enough inspo for things like that. I'd love to write a SesshoxolderRin or a Senshi x Shinnetou or even a Zutara but I'm not dedicated enough to follow through. For more canon pairings like NaruHina and SasuSaku there is already an abundance of those fics so I thought I'd write SasuHina instead.**

 **ANYWAY please enjoy this chapter, ignore any glaring mistakes/fuck ups, and don't forget to leave a REVIEW!**

 _It fills me with anger,_

 _this moon; it fills me_

 _and makes me whole_

 ** _(Takeshita Shizunojo)_**

 **Ill Tidings**

 _ **The Twenty-first Fall of the Taka**_

 _ **Imperial City- Uchiha Manor**_

 _ **...**_

"Are you going to continue gawking there like an idiot?"

For a third time, Sasuke found himself talking to what was little more than a brick wall. The source of Naruto's current state was lost on him. One minute they were heading to the Uchiha Manor and the next Naruto was frozen in place. Irritatedly, Sasuke waved a hand in front of the blonde's face.

"I've never seen a woman like that in my life." Naruto whispered breathlessly.

Sasuke barely was able to hear him over the din of the crowd that threatened to spook their horses.

"What woman? We have to get going." he huffed and Naruto finally snapped back to reality.

"What do you mean? How could you not see her? She was just right there!"

A tanned finger pointed emphatically at a window on the second floor of the Uchiha Manor. It was the exact same window where he'd caught a glimpse of Hinata before her attendant had abruptly drawn the curtains. She was beautiful. Anyone with eyes and half a brain could recognize that. However, the fact that Naruto found her attractive didn't sit right with him. More than irritation and crankiness from travel mingled in the pit of his stomach.

"I have to meet her." Naruto said suddenly, snapping his reigns and nearly running over the peasants underfoot before Sasuke could stop him.

The Uchiha cursed harshly under his breath and followed him. Naruto rode through the crowd and up to the gate with a determination he usually reserved for escaping his fiance and court social climbers. He'd barely pulled his horse to a stop when they were admitted through the gates and into the small courtyard.

"Naruto-" Sasuke snapped as he galloped through the gate.

"You didn't tell me you had women here!" the future Emperor called over his shoulder. "You sly dog! How could you keep this from me especially since they're pretty!"

Sasuke tightened his jaw and dismounted from his horse as Naruto did the same a few feet ahead. It was none of Naruto's business who resided on his property. Quickly, he tried to catch up with the blonde but he'd already made it past the astonished guards and had disappeared into the Manor.

Sasuke rubbed his temples. Naruto was going to be the death of him. Inside the Manor was in a state of chaos from the prince's arrival. Attendants who had been running back and forth preparing the home immediately froze, unsure of whether to continue working or bow to their sovereign. Guards stood with blades half drawn, surprised by his sudden intrusion.

"Naruto!" Sasuke yelled, stopping the man halfway up the steps to the second floor. "You can't just march into my house unannounced on a goose chase."

Blue eyes blinked at him perplexed, an unspoken 'why' hung in the air. As the future of their country, he was rarely denied the things he wanted. Sasuke let out a slow breath through his nose and continued. He would have to break this down in a way that Naruto would understand.

"That woman you saw...she's my wife."

In an instant, Naruto's shoulders slumped and the light in his eyes vanished. Sasuke almost felt remorse for stealing the wind out of his sails but not really. Any hopes that he had harbored for Hinata were best clipped now. Hinata was his wife. She belonged to him.

"I didn't even know you got married." Naruto grumbled moodily as Sasuke reached his side on the stairs.

"There was a lot you didn't know until this morning-"

"Uchiha-sama-oh! Sorry!"

The two men looked up to the top of the stairs to where Hinata's pink-haired attendant stood. For the life of him, the Uchiha could never remember her name. Green eyes shifted between them anxiously before she remembered her station and bowed deeply.

"Please forgive me Kotaishi Denka, Uchiha-sama. I didn't mean to interrupt."

"Don't worry about it!" Naruto chuckled awkwardly, a blush rapidly spreading up his neck to his cheeks. "I'm the one who just kinda rushed in. Congratulations by the way!"

Sasuke frowned. Congratulations? The attendant looked just as confused as he was when she rose from her bow. Naruto, ever oblivious, grinned and elbowed Sasuke in the side and tilted his head.

"So, aren't you going to introduce me to your wife?"

...

 _ **The** **Twentieth** **Fall of the Hato**_

 _ **Imperial City- Uchiha Manor**_

 _ **...**_

Hinata hadn't expected to do much at the start of her day. The most she'd hoped for was to arrive within the capital safely and with their company intact. Reality, on the other hand, had other plans. Chief among them was meeting a man she'd just discovered was to be the next ruler of Konoha.

"Naruto, this is Hinata...my wife."

Hinata glanced quickly at Sasuke who stood tensely beside her. This was the first time that he'd referred to her as his wife since the day they were married. Automatically she flushed and Naruto's grin grew impossibly wider. He looked at her unabashedly and not at all as a stranger should. It was as if he'd known her all his life even though they'd just met.

"So you are his wife." he chuckled, amused at a joke only he was privy to, before wiggling his eyebrows suggestively in Sasuke's direction. "She's too pretty for you."

At this Hinata was positive that her face would explode. Thankfully the wide black sleeve of Sasuke's yukata came into her field of vision and completely hid Naruto from view.

"Oi! I'm only sayin' the truth!"

"And you have said enough. Time to go."

"I don't wanna! There's plenty of good company here."

"No."

"Sasuke-" Hinata squeaked.

Surely it wasn't a good idea to behave so rudely to the future Emperor? The man in question had taken to approaching her with open arms but Sasuke blocked him with his body.

"No." Sasuke reiterated just as firmly as before.

"Fine." Naruto replied but he didn't sound cowed.

Quickly, Sasuke walked away, dragging Naruto behind him to ensure that he would not try to come near her again. Hinata watched them leave the room just as suddenly as they'd entered. When the door closed Hinata pressed her hands against her inflamed cheeks and released a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding. Across the room, Temari stepped out from behind the folding room divider. Her amusement at the situation played out in a mischievous smirk on her lips.

"I heard that he was an odd one but this certainly proves it. Although anyone who can make a cold Uchiha jealous has my respect." she said.

Hinata blinked. Jealous? Sasuke wasn't jealous. If anything he was probably embarrassed that she'd morphed into the human equivalent of a tomato! Besides, outside of calling her his wife he really didn't treat her like one.

Sure they worked well together but without a scroll between them, he was even more distant than before. Sighing, Hinata raised her arms and allowed Temari to help her undress. She had to focus more on meeting the Empress later tonight. There was more time to worry about Sasuke's standoffish nature later.

However, every time she glanced at the window she was reminded of his dark eyes only moments ago. How they'd caught her own from so far away and sent her drowning.

Focus Hinata! Focus!

 **...**

The Imperial Palace was grander than anything Hinata could have imagined. She felt small within it's lavishly decorated halls and attendants that dotted the corridors every few feet. The sheer amount of wealth and history made the Uchiha Shiro appear paltry and the entire Hyuuga Compound like a monastery in comparison. It was simultaneously awe-inspiring but dreadfully uncomfortable. How could anyone consider a place like this a home?

Swallowing her nerves, Hinata waited with the other noble women behind Sasuke's male counterparts since they were all to be admitted into the massive southern wing of the palace. Apparently, the Emperor was also intending to entertain his own guests tonight.

Every so often Hinata was able to catch a glimpse of Sasuke's back, the Uchiha crest embroidered boldly against the black silk of his kimono. Unfortunately, him being surrounded by other men meant that the sightings were fleeting. From the Nara to the Akimichi and more crests she'd never seen until now. Sasuke likely knew them each and every one of them. He'd been the Uchiha's representative in the capital for so long that he wasn't overwhelmed by the gravitas of the palace or the prestige of the people around him. In fact, he almost appeared bored.

'If only I was able to calm down enough to be bored.' Hinata thought as she resisted the habitual urge to stroke her mother's necklace beneath the folds of her kimono.

Shyly she followed the herd until they split off. The men went left the women went right. Hinata felt her own unease spike with Sasuke's absence but she pressed on. Eventually, her group was led to an ornate chamber- larger than any that the Shiro possessed. There were several low lying tables heavily laden with exotic dishes that Hinata had never seen before. The noble women she'd arrived with instantly knew where to go and divide amongst themselves quickly.

The swift scattering left Hinata unmoored and utterly petrified about where she should sit. She was the matriarch of the largest and fiercest warrior clan in Konoha but no one reached out to her. To them, she was no one. They had no idea who she was since she and Itachi had never gotten the chance to formally present themselves to their peers. If they had done so in the spring shortly after getting married she would not be invisible now.

Nervously, Hinata looked around for a place to sit but all of the tables had been filled. Just as panic was about to set in an elderly attendant bowed before her and motioned with an open palm to a door at the back of the room.

"Uchiha-san," the woman said a bit louder than necessary, catching the attention of the tittering women. "Please follow me."

Hinata blushed as a chorus of Uchiha was murmured repeatedly around the room. Thankfully the women had the decency to keep their voices low until she and the attendant had left the room. When the door closed behind her there was a burst of indistinguishable conversation that made the young woman wince.

"Oh my, it seems that my guests will be entertained by more than talk about the day's weather tonight." a bright voice laughed and Hinata immediately raised her head.

In front of her sat a woman hair redder than any fire she'd witnessed. The locks flowed freely down her back and shifted in an almost mesmerizing way when she moved. It contrasted greatly with folds of the deep green kimono that she wore and Hinata couldn't help but wonder how she'd achieved such a color.

The woman was beautiful, almost as much as Mikoto, but an unruly air she possessed kept her from being as elegant. Inwardly Hinata admonished herself for thinking such a thing and bowed deeply.

"Tenno Heika-" she started but the woman laughed.

"I would have thought that Mikoto would have taught you better than this. Call me Kushina, now rise and come sit with me."

Her voice was direct and a bit off-putting but not unkind. As Hinata straightened to follow Kushina's orders, the woman's smile broadened even more. It was clear exactly where their future Emperor had inherited his mannerisms.

"You are even prettier than Mikoto's last letter described but a little younger than I expected." she said bluntly as Hinata took her seat. "Those eyes though, I don't think I've seen anything like them before."

"I-I'm sorry." Hinata mumbled, unsure of how to respond to the bold woman's statements.

Dissatisfied, Kushina clicked her tongue and pouted.

"Why are you apologizing? I find your eyes fascinating."

Hinata blushed in response but felt a bit of her confidence buoyed. Across the table, the Empress rested her elbow on the table in an unladylike manner and cupped her chin.

"Now tell me, Hinata right? I think that's what she wrote...where is my dear friend? As much as I am pleased to see you I addressed the invitation to her. Must I pay her a visit myself?" she asked and Hinata's mouth ran dry.

Kushina didn't notice her loss of composure since she'd become preoccupied with lifting a steaming cup of tea to her lips. Internally Hinata tried to collect herself. How could she not know? They'd sent a formal notice of Mikoto's passing ages ago but of course, there had not been a response. She'd thought that they'd just been too busy to respond...

The silence dragged on between them for a heartbeat longer but no more. Hinata straightened her spine and gathered what resolve she had left, blankly staring at the dark wood of the table as she did so. She wouldn't be able to say anything without crying is she looked into the hopeful eyes of the Empress.

"Mikoto...she is no longer with us." Hinata said softly, praying all the while that her voice didn't falter. "Her body was burned at the beginning of the summer."

Crack

Hinata flinched when the teacup Kushina had been holding was slammed down. The delicate porcelain shattered upon impact, the contents of which splattered on the food and the Empress' kimono. No less than three attendants moved to help clean up the mess but were stopped with a firm wave of a hand.

"Why was I not informed of this when it happened?" Kushina demanded hotly and Hinata flinched.

She had sent a notice to the Imperial family- several actually. Mikoto had sen the first herself when Fugaku had been captured and again when Itachi and their men had gone on to rescue him. When the former matriarch's funeral rites had been completed Hinata had taken the reigns and sent notices out to their allies and the Emperor. Some of those scrolls were never replied to while others had been returned with their seals intact. When she was unable to answer Kushina's, the tension in the room grew.

"Why are you here? Where is that worthless husband of hers? How can he continue to treat her like this- to disrespect her even in death!" Kushina growled as she stood up.

Hinata stared up at the incensed woman with wide eyes. This was not at all how she imagined her first meeting with the Empress would go.

"He's not...Fugaku is not in the capital..."

"Not here? What do you mean? Where is he?!"

"I-I'm not sure. He was captured many moons ago."

"Captured?!" the Empress shrieked before turning back to her attendants. "Get Minato."

"But Kushina-sama-"

"Now!"

"I'm under authority to deny you, my lady. The Shogunate had requested a private meeting with him this evening."

Hinata chanced a look at the irate Empress. Her fists clenched and a glare sharper than any blade, the older woman paced the room. Back and forth. Back and forth until she suddenly rounded on Hinata but the edge of her anger had softened.

"My temper escapes me easily these days dear."

Hinata swallowed guiltily and nodded. It was her fault for bringing such terrible news to her. She had every right to be angry in a situation like this.

"I...I am sorry to bring you such ill news. It was never my intention to upset you Tenno- Kushina."

The redhead smiled in response but it didn't quite meet her eyes.

"You are just as sweet as Mikoto described." she sighed, her eyes growing watery for the briefest of moments before a fire returned to them. "Tell me everything you know about my dear friend's passing. I'm sure that my husband will be most concerned about affairs we have missed."

Hinata nodded, her heart clenching. Tonight the food in front of them would not be eaten but that was of little concern. The most important thing was getting help to the District. To her people. Steeling herself, Hinata folded her hands in her lap and spoke with a confidence that had escaped her all evening.

"The Uchiha have always fought for the Emperor but today I must ask you for his help."

 **...**

 **The Twenty-first Fall of the Taka**

 **Imperial Palace**

 **...**

"And then I said that I wanted tuna, not yellow-tail!"

Sasuke resisted the urge to pinch the bridge of his nose when the room erupted into raucous laughter. He'd endured the company of these pompous idiots for far longer than he'd intended to. After speaking with Naruto it was clear that someone had fastened a blindfold over the Imperial family. It was imperative that they inform the Emperor of what was going on but as with everything in the capital, distractions got in the way.

Chief among them was the future Empress...

..." _D_ _on't worry about it. I think my old man will believe you." Naruto said with a shrug of his shoulders._

 _"He doesn't have much of a choice not to. As we speak the allied invaders are marching across Konoha. If we do nothing they will be at the capital- Naruto are you even listening to me?"_

 _Sasuke frowned as he watched his companion staring out the office doorway. There was nothing interesting happening. Just Izumi handing Hinata's pink-haired servant some blue silk to dress her mistress in for the evening. Green eyes caught his own and she blushed profusely before scurrying away._

 _She was likely embarrassed by Naruto assuming that she was his wife. It was a relief for Sasuke in a way. Now that he knew the idiot was not gawking at Hinata he really didn't care where his wandering eyes went. As the Emperor he would be allowed to have royal consorts outside of the Empress. In fact, he was expected to since many families would seek to gain influence to the crown through their daughters._

 _Choosing a lowly servant for such a position would raise eyebrows but wasn't entirely unheard of. It was the kind of thing bored poets spent hours writing about anyway. However, at the moment Naruto's future whims were not important. Irritably he snapped his fingers in front of the daydreaming man to bring him back to reality. Sheepishly Naruto scratched the back of his head and smiled._

 _"Sorry about that. Ya know I'm really glad that she's not your wife although Hinata is really pretty too."_

 _"I don't need your approval."_

 _"I know, I know geez you're prickly today." Naruto chuckled before growing more serious. "Tonight my father will host a dinner, the usual suspects will be attending of course. We just have to get him alone and explain everything. Simple!"_

 _Sasuke pressed his lips in a tight line. Nothing had ever been 'simple' for him. Just as he opened his mouth to say so, one of the royal guards poked their head into the room._

 _"I'm sorry to interrupt but Kotaishi denka...uh...your intended has sent a message."_

 _"What?" Naruto sputtered. "How the hell did she find me?"_

 _The guard looked uncomfortable but they all knew that the future Empress had her ways. Reluctantly, the guard continued._

 _"She's requesting your presence since you have not had tea with her in a while."_

 _"That's because it's never just tea with her." Naruto grumbled as he rose to his feet. "Fine. I'll get going now. I'll see you at dinner Sasuke."..._

...Unfortunately, he did not see Naruto when he arrived at the palace. That wouldn't have been much of an issue if the Emperor hadn't also been missing. Sasuke had hoped to gain an audience on his own but those hopes evaporated quickly. Now he was stuck in an all too familiar role of trying not to snap and murder every insufferable soul in the room.

Since his temper was threatening to boil over and the men in the room were too drunk to notice, Sasuke took his leave of their company early. He made his way down the confusing halls of the palace and called for a servant to retrieve a horse for him. At this late hour, Hinata had likely returned to the Shiro on the palanquin they'd arrived on.

 _'Hinata.'_ he thought as he mounted a proffered horse.

As soon as he started to gallop home the tension in his shoulders eased and his breathing came a bit easier. The streets of the capital were only sparsely populated at this time of night and allowed him to move quickly. Today had been a long and unsuccessful one but it would all be over soon. Sighing, he pulled up to the Uchiha manor and dismounted from his horse. As usual, Izumi was waiting for him by the front door with several other servants by her side.

"You've returned safely. " Izumi said with a bowed head as two servants took his horse to be returned to the palace. "Do you need help retiring tonight?"

Sasuke shook his head, he never needed assistance at night but it was customary for her to ask. Izumi dismissed the other servants with a subtle wave of her hand, leaving them alone. Uchiha Izumi was always firm but kind with the other clan members that serviced the Manor. It was in her efficiency that he could see why Itachi had cared for her. In another life, she could have made his brother happy. Sasuke shook his head of the thought and followed the woman into the Manor.

"Has Hinata returned?" Sasuke asked and Izumi nodded.

"She has." she replied flatly. " Although Uchiha-sama refused to stay in her room. She is in yours."

 _'She's in my room?'_ Sasuke thought, surprised by the information.

Hinata had never been so forward as to stay in his room before. Now curious, Sasuke left Izumi behind to climb the stairs that led to his room. It didn't take long for him to reach it since the manor was but a fraction of the Shiro in size. When he opened the door to his room, he immediately spotted Hinata asleep on his futon and dressed in a simple navy robe. The silk hugged her body generously and beckoned for him to touch it.

Without much thought, he crossed the room to sit beside her and stared freely at her sleeping form. When she was like this she couldn't hide or run away from him with thinly veiled disgust. When she was like this he could admit that the way her thick eyelashes laid against her cheeks was fascinating and that her nose was perfect. When she was like this his eyes could roam further and he could enjoy the delicate dip of her collar bones and the small frame of her shoulders.

Unfortunately, she must have felt his leering subconsciously because she stirred from her sleep and bleary white eyes peered up at him. She stared with eyes that were puffy and red from crying though the cause of such a state perplexed him.

"Sasuke." she mumbled softly. "I...I didn't realize I'd fallen asleep."

"I didn't ask you to wait up for me."

Inwardly Sasuke cringed. He hadn't intended to sound so harsh to a woman who was clearly struggling. On her part, Hinata flushed at his admonishment and tried to wipe her eyes. Unable to stop himself, Sasuke grabbed her wrist.

"You've been crying." he said bluntly as she owlishly stared back at him.

Her mouth was open slightly in surprise from his actions. Although she constantly abused her lips with her nervous habits they remained pink and plump. More times than he cared to admit, he'd thought about this mouth. He knew that it was just as soft as it appeared. Warm and sweet but infuriatingly nervous when kissed...

"I told the Empress about everything." Hinata said, snapping the Uchiha out of thoughts he shouldn't be entertaining.

Slipping his fingers from her wrist, Sasuke tried his best to focus his sights elsewhere. The empty teacup on a nearby table was a good place to start. Unaware of his internal conflict, Hinata continued.

"I told her about what happened to your father and Itachi. She's going to tell the Emperor tonight."

At this Sasuke nodded approvingly. Although he hadn't had much luck, Hinata had proved to be beneficial. Hopefully, this would at least garner enough attention for additional forces to be sent against the invaders. They may even be able to get aid sent to the District.

This was all good news so why did Hinata appear as if she were on the verge of crying again? Her teeth had sunk into her bottom lip, worrying the flesh to stop her tears. Frowning, Sasuke reached up and gently used his thumb to stop her. At this, a few tears escaped and she shuddered.

"I told the Empress that Mikoto was- was dead...but I-I didn't say how. I couldn't."

Sasuke felt the familiar ache in his heartthrob unpleasantly. The feeling was dull but ever present. It was easier to throw himself into clan duties than to think about his mother. About how she would never smile at him again or run her fingers through his hair.

"I...I miss her." Hinata confessed softly and her tears began to fall for freely. "I miss them all. They're gone and I didn't do anything."

Sasuke felt his own eyes burn with unshed tears but they did not escape him. He'd already cried enough in the weeks that followed finding his mother's body. There was nothing left now but a longing for a mother that would never return. A mother that couldn't stand to live another day because of him. It was his fault.

"Sasuke." Hinata said softly, her slender fingers reaching out to curl around his wrist.

It was then that the Uchiha realized he was still cupping her face. Absently he stroked her reddened cheek with his thumb and she didn't seem to mind. Outside a heavy fall, shower began, rain pelting against the glass. Just beyond the safety of the manor, the wind howled.

"On nights like this, my sister would sneak into my room." Hinata whispered.

Sasuke felt the corner of his lips quirk involuntarily. He'd done the same to Itachi on countless occasions for as long as he'd been able. At first, it was because he was afraid of the lightning but then it was purely because he missed him. Because he was gone all day long and never had time to spare.

"She must have been afraid of the storm." Sasuke said, pushing his feelings of abandonment aside.

Hinata shook her head, a sad smile played on her lips.

"That's what she told the branch members trying to stop her but Hanabi is- was- afraid of nothing." she said, pride swelling in her gentle voice. "What she wanted was a story."

Slightly amused by the response, Sasuke let out a short chuckle. It appeared that her little sister had been a strange one. As silly as the aside was, Hinata no longer looked as if she were about to cry. Distractedly, Sasuke moved his hand from Hinata's cheek to her hair. It was even darker at night and slipped smoothly through his fingers. The locks coated said fingers like ink. Although he knew that he should leave, that he should stop, he didn't. Instead, he continued to run his fingers through her hair, relishing each pass through.

"Sasuke?" Hinata questioned but didn't move away.

He, however, did.

He immediately regretted letting go of her hair but he had to. The way she looked at him, albeit puffy eyed, stirred something that he could not easily contain. Something that possessed him every time she was in his presence. It bothered him even when she was nowhere near. The feeling was maddening but he had to control himself. The memory of her blood on his sheets generated enough guilt to tamp down his urges and allowed him to stand up. He'd felt so many emotions within such a short span of time that when he was on his feet it was almost dizzying.

Hinata looked up at him as if she wished to say something but thought better of it. If he were a more hopeful person he would have thought she was disappointed but he knew better. She likely felt relief that he wouldn't claim her again tonight or any other night for that matter.

'A woman doesn't leave her marriage bed unless something was wrong.'

Sasuke frowned at Kakashi's words. He was a bothersome man but the Uchiha had to admit that he was right. Stiffly, Sasuke left the room. He would leave Hinata to her own devices within his room, he, on the other hand, needed to work out his frustrations on a training dummy. Or a certain silver-haired warrior.

Just as he was about to slide the door to his room shut something made him pause. It could have been a trick of his ears, a product of hopeful thinking that he shouldn't possess. Yet he could almost swear he heard a small 'goodnight' and inexplicably his heart skipped a beat.

 _ **To be continued...**_

 _The hands of a woman exist_

 _to remove the insides of the spring cuttlefish_

 ** _(Sekitei Hara)_**


	34. Chapter 34

**CCNote: Whew! We made it to a thousand reviews! I checked the story follower/favorite counter and I'm surprised how many people have this on their alerts. Thank you for continuing on this winding journey with me. I hope that you are still entertained.**

 **ANYWAY! Please enjoy, ignore the fact that I'm losing my english, and don't forget to leave a** **REVIEW** **!**

 _The hands of a woman exist_

 _to remove the insides of the spring cuttlefish_

 ** _(Sekitei Hara)_**

 **Honesty**

 _ **The** **Twentieth** **Fall of the Hato**_

 _ **Imperial City- Uchiha Manor**_

 _ **...**_

The next morning light poured into an unfamiliar room. It took a few moments to orient herself but when she did she didn't feel any better. She was in the capital. She was safe and still breathing. Yet, Mikoto was still dead and Itachi likely had endured a similar fate. Her family and her clan. They were all gone and there had been nothing she could do for them. To them she was useless.

Hinata closed her eyes and let out a slow breath through her nose. She had to focus on the present. The past couldn't be changed. Sighing, Hinata sat up just as the door to the bedroom slid open. At first, she expected to see Sasuke and her heart clenched at the memory from the night before but the discomfort was misplaced. Instead, Izumi stood in the doorway with her hands folded in the sleeves of her navy yukata.

"Uchiha-sama, I have been sent to check on you. I will report back that you are awake." she said and Hinata stared at her dumbfounded.

"Sasuke sent you to...to check on me?"

"I suppose he wished to use his room." Izumi replied curtly. "He will be finished with breakfast soon."

At this Hinata blushed furiously and scrambled from beneath the sheets to stand. She shouldn't have slept in so late that she'd almost missed breakfast. She didn't fault Temari or Sakura for neglecting to wake her. They'd experienced equally long days as well and were probably still sleeping. Although she couldn't help but feel embarrassed for essentially being kicked out of Sasuke's room.

With her gaze averted she skirted past Izumi out of the room. Since her stomach was grumbling and neither of her attendants were around to help her dress, Hinata headed downstairs to the sitting room. She'd yet to have a meal within the Manor since arriving but she imagined breakfast would be served there just as it had in the Shiro. Her assumptions were correct although she'd taken a few wrong turns to reach the sitting room.

Kakashi stood outside of the door, leaning against the side of the door frame as if he were sleeping. Hinata knew that he was not- the man hardly ever did. As she got closer, Kakashi opened his eyes and gave her a short nod of acknowledgment before pretending to sleep again. He didn't remark at all on the fact that she was not dressed as formally as she should be and inwardly she appreciated his discretion. Taking a deep breath, she slid open the sitting room door, and Sasuke looked up from a scroll he'd been reading.

"You're awake." He said flatly with a quirk of his brow.

Hinata blushed and moved to join him at the table.

"I...I'm sorry for keeping you out of your room." She mumbled.

Her apology only earned her a grunt but she took it as an acceptance all the same. She turned her gaze to the fare on the table and was relieved to find it simpler than what the Empress had offered last night. After everything she'd gone through up to this point it was best for her stomach to eat things that she could name. Silently she began to eat but the quiet was not uncomfortable. Last night wasn't the first time that either of them had caught the other at a low point emotionally. Tears were quickly becoming more normal than smiles.

Still, it was nice to just exist within a space. As she glanced to her left she wondered if Sasuke felt the same. Just as the last of their breakfast was cleared away, Izumi entered with a tray of tea and Sakura trailing behind her. The stoic head attendant set the tray on the table and poured a steaming cup. A fruity aroma wafted off of it, the light amber liquid filling the delicate teacup to the brim. When Izumi took the pot away, Hinata looked curiously over to Sasuke who wrinkled his nose.

"I don't like that strain." He answered as if reading her thoughts.

"Mikoto-sama used to drink this every morning in her youth. It will be beneficial for your health." Izumi explained. "But if you dislike it I can make you something else."

"Oh! No need!" Hinata said quickly. "Thank you for making this for me. I'm sure that I will like it."

If it was good enough for Mikoto it was good enough for her. With a solemn bow, Izumi left the room but Sakura remained. The pinkette fiddled with a loose thread on her sleeve and looked conflicted as to if she should stay or go. Guilt nibbled at the back of Hinata's mind. It couldn't be easy for Sakura to see her and Sasuke like this but she had to admire the fact that she was trying.

"Have you eaten yet Sakura?" she asked, hoping she sounded friendly enough. "There is plenty of fruit left over from earlier."

Sakura glanced warily between the food and Sasuke but eventually, she took a seat on Hinata's right. This was good- awkward but good. A small smile graced her lips when Sakura finally began to eat. Hopefully, this was a sign that they could be friends again. Friends were something that she desperately needed. With a sigh, she reached for her tea but was stopped by the sitting room door sliding open again.

"Oi! Sasuke!" a loud voice shouted as they popped their blonde head into the room. "Oh, Hinata you're here too and...Sakura-chan."

The pinkette stiffened when he said her name, her eyebrow twitching in a way that Hinata had only seen directed at Ino.

Although Naruto was too busy ogling Sakura, Hinata was surprised to find Sasuke had grabbed a throw blanket from a nearby basket. She took the thin, dark gray blanket gratefully and wrapped it around herself.

"What are you doing here Naruto?" Sasuke asked as the man promptly took a seat next to Sakura.

"Do I always need a reason to see you?"

Beside her, Sasuke's dark eyes narrowed but Naruto merely laughed. Hinata glanced back and forth between the two of them, unsure as to why they enjoyed annoying the other.

"Fine, you got me." Naruto conceded after losing their staring match. "Today is supposed to be clear. Since you haven't been to the capital in awhile I thought it would be nice to give you a tour."

"No."

"Sasuke-"

"No."

Undaunted by repeated rejection, blue eyes moved from black to white. His lips spread into a Cheshire grin and Hinata unconsciously tightened her grip on her blanket.

"Hinata, you've never been to the capital. It would be my honor to show you around."

"I-I don't know..." she stammered as Sasuke grew tense beside her.

"Don't worry! This city is that safest place in Konoha and if it makes you more comfortable Sakura-chan is welcome to join us."

At his suggestion, Sakura sputtered and glared but did not outright say 'no'. It would be poor form to deny Naruto's offer. They needed to remain in the royal family's good graces. Shyly, Hinata placed her hand on top of Sasuke's and he flinched from her touch but didn't move away.

"We will all go." he said stiffly and Naruto let out a cheer of success.

"This is going to be great!"

His happiness was infectious and Hinata found herself smiling genuinely in response. Absently she reached for her now cooled teacup and brought it to her lips. However, when she took a sip she found the cup empty. Now alarmed she turned to Sakura but Naruto was already trying to regale her with tales of the city.

 _'That's strange._ ' Hinata thought but shrugged.

Sakura was probably thirsty which was fine. She hadn't felt like drinking tea this morning anyway and she could always ask Izumi to make her more tomorrow. Pushing all thoughts of tea aside, she listened to Naruto's exuberant brand of storytelling and allowed herself to relax for the first time in weeks.

 **...**

 _ **The Twenty-first Fall of the Taka**_

 _ **Imperial City- Abekawa Lake**_

 **...**

As with all of Naruto's harebrained schemes, there was always more to the story than he let on. A tour of the city meant traipsing from shop to shop and being burdened by numerous gifts from civilians. It meant Naruto wanting to show them the 'coolest place' to get away from the crowds and the heat. This was why he'd said 'no' earlier. This was why Hinata shouldn't have indulged his request yet here they were. Stuck in the middle of a lake on an unseasonably humid day.

"I can help."

Sasuke glared at her but kept a firm grip on the oars. There was absolutely no way he was going to allow her to row. His pride wouldn't stand for it. Hinata frowned at his silent denial and looked away. The Uchiha followed her gaze to where Naruto and her servant were in their own little boat.

Naruto had insisted on rowing himself and the girl around the lake. It was an obvious ploy to get her alone and show off. Currently, he was busy rowing steady laps around their stagnant boat much to Sasuke's irritation.

"He has a lot of energy." Hinata observed and Sasuke rolled his eyes.

"Too much energy."

In the other boat, Naruto lost his oar and it promptly sank into the murky waters of the lake. Hinata giggled but cover her smile bashfully with her hand. Without much hesitation, he jumped in after it, leaving a shocked Sakura clutching the sides of the boat to keep it from capsizing. Sasuke felt his left eye twitch at the scene and Hinata's subsequent amusement.

"You think he's funny?" he asked as Naruto reemerged successfully with the oar over his head.

"I think he's genuine."

Genuine was the not the answer he'd been expecting. Naruto was many things but he'd never thought of that. Pushy at the best of times and an idiot at the worst. As he watched Naruto scramble ungracefully back into the boat he supposed Hinata's assessment was true. He wasn't even ashamed to look like a fool in front of a girl he was trying to gain the affection of.

"He's a bit too genuine." Sasuke grunted and Hinata's curious gaze turned back to him. "He's never been good at keeping his thoughts to himself."

Around the wrong person, he could be taken advantage of. If he'd learned anything from his visits to the capital it was best for others not to know one's true goals and desires.

"Honesty is not a bad thing. We could all use more of it."

"Is that what you think?" Sasuke replied, the corner of his mouth twitching slightly. "Perhaps you can learn something from Naruto."

It wasn't like she was always honest herself. There was still so much he didn't understand about her. Things that she wouldn't share. He couldn't fault her though...not when he was the same.

"Do you find me dishonest?" Hinata asked, her eyes widening.

"Tell me something true." he replied with a shrug. "Be genuine."

At his teasing, her entire face turned red. If he were being 'genuine' he would call it cute.

"Um...I...I don't know what to say." she stammered, her eyes darting everywhere that wasn't him.

"If you think Naruto is genuine...what do you think of me?"

The question slipped out of his mouth casually enough. It was an innocuous inquiry but once spoken he was curious to know what she thought. When put on the spot like this she might finally verbalize what was going on in that strange head of hers. Unfortunately, she continued to remain tongue-tied until thunder rolled overhead. One second later the thick humid atmosphere broke and rain fell in sheets from the sky. A few feet away Naruto cheered at their wet development-much to the chagrin of his guards on the shore.

"I'll beat you back!" he yelled at Sasuke who merely rolled his eyes.

Not everything had to be a competition. Despite himself, he resumed rowing with more effort than before. Today was not the day he would lose to Naruto.

 **...**

 _ **The** **Twentieth** **Fall of the Hato**_

 ** _Imperial_** ** _City- Uchiha Manor_**

 ** _..._**

The following day at the manor was quiet or at least it was until several multicolored bouquets showed up in the arms of nine servants. The day after that those same servants returned but this time with sweets.

"He's a persistent one isn't he?" Tenten said as she inspected a box of expensive sweets.

Hinata nodded in agreement. Naruto's interest in her attendant was admirable if not a bit overwhelming. For her part, Sakura merely sighed and stared blankly out the window.

"He's loud and childish." she mumbled. "We came here because there are people invading Konoha and all he's concerned about are gifts."

Tenten rolled her eyes at Sakura's morose attitude before setting the box of chocolate down and waddling over to an overstuffed chaise. She sat with a relieved huff at getting off her feet and rubbed small circles over her stomach.

"You should enjoy the attention while you can then. No one lives forever. Oh-" she said with a sharp wince of pain.

"What's wrong?" Hinata asked, moving closer to where Tenten sat in preparation to help her with whatever she needed.

The brunette waved off her concern however and leaned back on the chaise.

"Nothing's wrong. The baby's just extra active today. I think it's getting a little crowded in here."

"Crowded?" Hinata repeated curiously.

She sat on the floor by the chaise and laid her head on its side.

"Does it hurt when they move?" she asked and Tenten let out a short chuckle.

"Sometimes but not always."

"Are you nervous?"

"You certainly have a lot of questions." Tenten teased. "Is there something you want to tell us?"

Suddenly Sakura got up from her window seat, mumbling an excuse under her breath as she left the room. She only paused in her endeavor when she bumped into Temari onto her way out.

"What's her problem?" Temari asked incredulously after Sakura quickly brushed past her.

" I have no idea." Tenten replied. "I just asked Hinata if she had any news since she had so many questions about pregnancy and she miraculously had other things to do."

Temari shook her head and took up the window seat that Sakura had abandoned.

"You'd think that catching the eye of the future leader of a nation would satisfy that girl." she huffed. " So what's your news?"

"I-I don't have any." Hinata blushed, pushing some of her loose hair behind her ear.

"I suppose it's too early in your marriage to know for sure yet. It takes many tries to create a child. Sorry, Hinata." Tenten mused before blushing slightly at her own words and it's implications about Neji.

Although she herself was red, Hinata shook her head profusely and smiled.

"Don't be. I'm really happy that you are carrying Neji-nii's child."

"Thank you, that means a lot."

Tenten reached down to clasp hand which she accepted with a squeeze. Really and truly she was happy to have Tenten in her life. Not only because she would bring her niece or nephew into the world but because she was just nice to be around. Every time she saw her she inwardly thanked Sasuke for agreeing to let her stay. Other men would not have even entertained the idea.

 _'Sasuke_.' Hinata thought.

What do you think of me?

When he asked her that question she had no idea how to respond. Was he only teasing her or did he actually wish to know her honest answer? Did her opinion of him even matter since he didn't treat her as his wife? Nervously, Hinata bit her bottom lip. He hadn't asked her during their initial agreement but it was heavily implied that by marrying him she would provide an heir. With Itachi gone it was imperative that she do so but how? Producing a child was not a solo endeavor.

"You're thinking awfully hard about something." Temari teased, snapping Hinata back to reality. "Care to share?"

"Well..." Hinata hedged nervously.

She had no one else to ask such questions to outside of those currently in the room. It was embarrassing to admit her private 'difficulties' but she didn't have much of a choice.

"Well?"

"Um...well..." Hinata squeaked before taking a deep breath and squeezing her eyes shut. She could do this! She just had to say it!

"SasukeandIhaveonlydoneitonceandIdon'tknowhowtodoitagain!"

"Wait-what?"

"Say that again but slower."

Hinata gulped as both of her companions were now sitting up straight at attention. It was beyond mortifying to repeat what she'd said. Unbeknownst to her, Tenten and Temari exchanged worried looks between them.

"Hinata..."Temari started slowly, an edge of concern in her tone. "Has Sasuke mistreated you?"

Hinata's eyes opened at the accusation and shook her head.

Sasuke might be cold and distant but he'd never mistreated her...not how they were implying. Relief immediately spread over Tenten and Temari's features.

"He...he actually isn't interested in me I think."

"Alright now I'm really confused." Tenten said as she leaned back into a more relaxed position. "Most men are not so lucky to get a wife as pretty as you."

"Well...we've only been together once." Hinata admitted.

Tenten and Temari simultaneously gapped at her confession but gathered their composure.

"Did...um...did he have trouble performing that time?" Tenten asked and Hinata shook her head.

"No he was um...ready quickly and it didn't take very long."

"Oh my."

"Is...is that bad?"

"Not necessarily, was Itachi the same way?" Temari asked and at this Hinata shook her head once more.

"We never did it."

Upon hearing her soft confession, Temari let out a slow breath and sank back into the window seat.

"Uchiha men are strange."

Tenten nodded in agreement.

"Maybe he's just shy now?"

"Shy? Pft. That cocky man isn't capable of such an emotion."

Hinata sighed, resting her temple against the chaise seat while her companions traded theories. Tenten gently patted her head to provide some reassurance but the gesture gave her little comfort.

Maybe this was for the best. She wasn't ready to be a mother yet. She didn't have much experience with newborns or children in general. When Hanabi had been born she was cloistered off from the rest of the compound while they prepared for her mother's burial. Even after their mother had been laid to rest she rarely got to see her new sister. Branch members took care of her from sunup to sundown for many moons until it was deemed safe for her to be around others. Hinata couldn't imagine doing the same for her child if she were to have one. Closing her eyes, she focused on Tenten's fingers in her hair and tried not to feel so anxious. She had time to figure all of this out.

Or at least that's what she hoped.

 **...**

 _ **The Twenty-first Fall of the Taka**_

 ** _Imperial_** _ **City- Uchiha Manor**_

 _ **...**_

"So do I grab it like this?"

"You don't have to do anything-"

"It's alright! Where should I put it?"

Sasuke pinched the bridge of his nose and tried to tune out Naruto's failed attempts at flirting outside his study window. The blonde had brought with him more gifts for Sakura but very little news from the Emperor. The only thing he'd brought was a confirmation that his father had been made aware of the situation. That did not sit well with Sasuke at all. If he'd been informed about the invaders why were things so calm? The Imperial forces should have been mobilized. Security should have been heightened around the city and its inhabitants made aware of a coming threat.

Sasuke wasn't sure what he'd anticipated to happen but 'doing nothing' wasn't one of those outcomes. Sighing, he leaned back in his chair just as the door to his study slid open. He'd half expected Kakashi to poke his head in but Hinata appeared instead. Dressed in simple light blue and white yukata with her hair free she was a sight better than the old warrior.

"Am I interrupting anything?" she asked shyly and Sasuke shook his head.

A break from the nothingness was more than welcome.

"I heard that Naruto was visiting?" she started questioningly but trailed off as boisterous laughter floated into the study.

"He's with your servant." Sasuke said with a short jerk of his head towards the window.

"Sakura...of course. Did he bring any news with him?"

"The Emperor had been made 'aware' of the situation." Sasuke answered as she came closer to where he sat in order to look out the window behind him.

"I'm sure he will allow an audience with you soon."

Sasuke grunted in response. He didn't share in her optimism. A comfortable silence fell over the room as Hinata watched the happenings outside and he watched her. Although he welcomed her company at the moment he knew that there had to be more to her visit. Hinata never sought him out without a purpose or to be frivolous with her time. That was one of the reasons he found her to be tolerable in comparison to the noblewomen he'd previously met during his visits to the capital. She was not as simple-minded as those women and for that he was grateful.

"He really seems to like her." Hinata said softly, tugging at the edge of her yukata.

"Hn."

Was this really what she'd come to discuss?

"He's supposed to be getting married in the spring though." she continued, the corners of her lips dipping into a small frown.

Sasuke leaned to the side on his low table and lazily cupped his cheek with his hand.

"Becoming a royal consort is better than any position that girl could have hoped for."

At this statement, Hinata turned away from the window and directed her disapproval in his direction.

"So the most she can hope for is to be a mistress? What about his wife?"

"Hinata, taking a mistress is not unusual."

"You think it's normal to do so?"

"What I think doesn't matter. It's the way things are."

"Is...is that why..." Hinata stuttered, her face growing increasingly red.

"Is that why what?" he asked, irritated by her hesitance and the turn of their conversation.

Hinata, however, did not appreciate the sharpness of his tone. Despite the blush on her cheeks, she narrowed her eyes at him with fists clenched by her sides.

 _'Is she angry?'_ Sasuke thought.

His previous irritation rapidly dissipated at the sight before him. It was amusing to see her try to express something as passionate as anger. Unintentionally he smirked as she took several steps closer and that only made her angrier.

"Since this is the way things are...do you have a mistress here in the capital as well?" she asked, her voice tight.

"And if I do?" he countered without thinking and the color drained from her face.

Since she seemed repulsed by him before it was strange that she could care about such a thing. Their marriage was one wrought from negotiation and unfortunate circumstances after all. No one would fault him for seeking out another's bed when his wife was unwilling. Although he wished that she was he wouldn't force himself on her. He'd already hurt her once.

For several heartbeats, she gaped at him as if she didn't know what to say. As if she were truly bothered by the prospect of him taking a mistress.

"You are upset." he said flatly and her mouth closed to a tight line. "Why?"

"I-I'm not." she stammered but the small quiver in her voice gave her away.

"Liar."

The word slipped out unintentionally but it was true. Slowly he rose from his cushion until he towered over the petite woman. She tried to look away from him but reached out to tilt her chin upwards. Pearly white eyes stared up at him, a myriad of emotions flitting just behind them. A simmering fury above all else showed through the most. He was taken aback by that but his pride bolstered. She was jealous. Uchiha Hinata was capable of jealousy. Small hands reached up and tried to push him away but he didn't let her go.

"I do not have any interest in taking a mistress Hinata. Not now or in the future." he said and she suddenly stopped struggling.

Her pale fingers curled around the front of his yukata as he let her chin go and she looked down. He wasn't sure if she believed his words but they were true. The only woman he'd wanted for longer than he should have- the only one that stirred such desire in him was her.

The most naive and maddening woman in the world.

Outside the study door there was a knock and Hinata stepped away from him, her hand releasing the silk of his clothing. It was a small movement but there was a hint of hesitation on her part. Though she didn't know it, though the cloth was gone, bits of his heart were still caught between her fingers.

 _ **To be continued...**_

 _I caught the happy virus last night_

 _When I was out singing beneath the stars_

 _It is remarkably contagious-_

 _So kiss me_

 ** _(Hafiz)_**


	35. Chapter 35

**CCNote : Thanks so much for all of the reviews and continued readership. If you're interested in joining the Discord group just hmu.**

 **ANYWAY! As always please enjoy, ignore my mistakes, and don't forget to leave a REVIEW!**

 **Regrets**

 _I caught the happy virus last night_

 _When I was out singing beneath the stars_

 _It is remarkably contagious-_

 _So kiss me_

 ** _(Hafiz)_**

 _ **The** **Twentieth** **Fall of the Hato**_

 ** _Imperial City- Uchiha Manor_**

 ** _..._**

 _'I have no interest in taking a mistress. Not now or in the future.'_

It had been a few days since he'd uttered those words yet they consumed her thoughts as if they'd just been spoken. When he looked at her during their meals she was reminded of them. When she watched him from afar she was reminded.

If he sat too close...

If the back of his hand brushed against her own...

She couldn't pinpoint why but it made her feel good to hear those words.

"You're not eating."

Hinata blinked and turned to the man who had been preoccupying her thoughts. Sasuke stared back at her curiously before glancing pointedly at her untouched plate.

"Oh...I'm not hungry." she mumbled ashamedly but she knew that Sasuke didn't believe her.

Across from them, Naruto chuckled and playfully pointed his chopsticks at Sasuke.

"Aw, are you worried about something other than your own reflection?"

Hinata blushed and ducked her head at his teasing while Sasuke simply glared.

"Did you only come here to take up space and eat my food?"

"Ha-ha. I've actually got two very important things to tell you."

Beside her, Sasuke tensed and Hinata swallowed her own embarrassment to look up at the grinning prince. Most days he simply came to be near Sakura, the fact that he had relevant news was worth ignoring his teases.

"First!" Naruto said with a flourish. "My father wants to speak with you personally two days from now."

"That's great!" Hinata gasped and Sasuke's shoulders visibly relaxed.

"Yep, he's getting the entire clan council together to talk with you directly. I bet you were worried huh?"

Hinata glanced at the Uchiha but he remained unfazed. On the inside, though she knew he was not as calm as he portrayed. Sasuke would never admit it but he had been worried about the Emperor's inaction. They'd all been.

"What is your other important news?" Sasuke grunted but his gruff attitude did nothing to dim Naruto's bright smile.

"Well since it's Hinata's first time in the capital isn't it about time that she's introduced as the Uchiha matriarch? She is your wife after all and none of the other clans know she exists. You should formally show her off."

Reluctantly Hinata nodded in agreement as she recalled the stares she'd received during her visit to the palace. Everyone else knew each other well enough that the room had parted into smaller groupings in an instant. She, on the other hand, had largely been ignored by the other women until an attendant had said her name.

She felt Sasuke's eyes on her briefly but she dared not to return his gaze. If he didn't want to go through the trouble of hosting an event to introduce her that was fine. It would be more stress than it was worth since they would be leaving to return to the District as soon as it was safe. Having already reasoned with herself it was a surprise to her when Sasuke turned back to Naruto and spoke.

"What do you have in mind?"

 _ **...**_

"You're having a _party_?"

Tenten was the first to speak among her small group of what she considered to be friends. All three of the other women were staring back at her with varying expressions of disbelief and incredulity. The Uchiha clan was not known to be social and while it made sense to formally introduce her as the new matriarch, having a party was completely unexpected.

Hinata herself wasn't sure what to make of the upcoming event. She'd never been to a party before. The closest thing she'd had to one was the night she and Itachi had gotten married. That had been a largely stodgy affair with the elder members of the clan in attendance. This 'party' would not be anything like that she was sure. Not if Naruto had anything to do with it.

The prospect of meeting her peers in a more relaxed setting was nerve-wracking but she could get through this right? All she really needed were her friends to anchor her.

"You are all invited to join of course- not as my attendants but as my friends." Hinata said sheepishly and the three women all exchanged separate glances.

"I'm sorry Hinata but I don't think I have the energy for a party." Tenten said. "My feet have been killing me lately."

Hinata nodded understandingly. Growing an entire human took a lot of energy physically and mentally. She turned expectantly to both Sakura and Temari but was once more disappointed.

"I think it's best for me to remain behind the scenes. None of the nobles know that I'm here with you but Danzo has his ways."

"I'll stay back too. I'm not one for parties."

At Sakura's excuse, Temari and Tenten scoffed but didn't expand on their shared skepticism. The pinkette rolled her eyes and sucked in her teeth in response. Fearing the onset of another squabble, Hinata smiled and swallowed her disappointment.

"That's fine. I'm sure tonight will be enjoyable though...right?" she said just as the door to her room opened.

Izumi walked in with her arms filled with the silks Hinata was meant to wear for the night. After her, two more attendants walked in with more silk and jewelry. The dark haired woman directed her followers to place their items on a table before turning back to their little group.

"You two, there are letters that need to be copied thanking the guests. If they are to be finished and signed in Uchiha-sama's hand by tonight you need to start now." Izumi said stiffly.

The two women in question could barely contain their disgruntlement at being ordered around but kept calm and filed out of the room behind the other attendants. Izumi placed her armload on the table as well once they were gone before turning to Tenten with a small smile.

"You should go eat in the kitchens before it becomes too chaotic." she said and Tenten threw Hinata an uncertain glance but they both knew she was hungry.

Being pregnant meant that she was always hungry. Hinata gave her a small wave goodbye as she left but when the door closed behind her she felt a tinge of sadness.

"Uchiha-sama, you must decide what you will wear for this evening."

Hinata bit her bottom lip but approached the table anyway. She really didn't want to choose without Sakura's discerning eye for fabrics and patterns. Still, after looking at all that was available to her she settled on a silver furisode with white chrysanthemums. It was a soft pattern that could easily get overlooked in a crowded room which made it perfect for tonight. She was already going to be the center of attention, it was best not to give others the chance to gossip about her poor choice in fashion.

"What do you think of this one?" Hinata asked Izumi who had been waiting patiently for her decision.

The older woman glanced at the fabric but nothing in her expression gave away her thoughts.

"What I think is not important Uchiha-sama." she said flatly and her words made Hinata frown.

"Your opinion matters to me." she said as she took a step closer to the stiff woman."And you don't have to call me Uchiha-sama...Hinata is fine."

The corner of Izumi's lip twitched slightly but her stoic expression quickly cemented once more. Hinata wasn't quite sure what to do at this point. Izumi did not want to be her friend but why? She opened her mouth to say something- anything but Izumi had already turned her back and was heading towards the door.

...

 _ **The Twenty-first Fall of the Taka**_

 _ **Imperial City- Uchiha Manor Courtyard**_

 _ **...**_

From the decorations materializing in an instant to the feast that was assembled shortly after, it was abundantly clear that Naruto knew his answer would be 'yes'. Then again, he probably would have proceeded with the extravaganza regardless.

Although the last minute event had sent his household into an unprecedented state of frenzy it wasn't an entirely bad idea. The Uchiha Manor's front courtyard had been decorated resplendently by the servants, much to the awe and admiration of the guests that arrived just before sunset. The guests themselves were all much younger than their adult counterparts had been during his previous visit to the palace.

No, these were not the stodgy heads of their clans but the heirs. They did not care for politics or alliances. They came for entertainment and a few carefree hours spent among those their same age. Everyone appeared happy enough as they milled about but it was hard to completely ignore the pointed glances sent his way. Or more specifically to the woman who was the reason for this entire event to have taken place.

On his left side, Hinata stayed glued close but not quite touching him. With her head level and her back straight, this was the space she'd been trained to occupy and she fit into it well. So well in fact that the noble women that would usually be clamoring for his attention made no such attempts. They would have if Hinata was hadn't been by his side judging by the outlandishly colored kimonos they wore to distinguish themselves from the rest. Sasuke scanned the assembled masses for any difference between them but his eyes always came back to Hinata. The soft silver she wore was much more appealing.

"I was not expecting there to be _this_ many people." she said in a low voice that only he could hear.

"When a royal wants something, they typically get it." Sasuke replied.

As soon as Naruto had mentioned 'royal invitations' being sent out to all of the important clans he knew that they were would be a near mob descending on the Manor. He meant to say as much but was stopped short by a disturbing sight. Weaving through the crowd with a shocking shade of red hair bright enough to rival the Empress was Uzumaki Karin. She strode boldly up to the pair, barely sparing Hinata a glance as she wedged herself between them.

"Sasuke-kun! It's been far too long since the last time I saw you!" she whined as she looped an arm through his.

"Karin." he replied flatly.

Her breasts pressed up firmly against his arm at the sound of her name. He would have brushed her off but years of clingy behavior made him resigned to her antics.

"I'm hearing these awful rumors today. They say that you got married."

"Actually Karin-" he started but a small cough interrupted him.

Karin's eyes narrowed as she turned to the perceived interloper. The redhead was a good head and shoulders taller than the petite woman but she lifted her chin haughtily anyway. For his part, Sasuke couldn't help but smirk at the tight smile on Hinata's face and the slight tilt of her head. There was very little more amusing than an irritated Hinata even if she hid it well.

"It's nice to meet you Karin-san." she said without a hint of malice.

She was good at this.

"And _who_ are _you_?" Karin sneered.

"Uchiha Hinata."

Very _very_ good.

Her smile never faltered as Karin slowly pieced together their association in her mind. As she did so, her grip on his arm slackened enough that he was able to slip out and take a step back.

"So it's true then." Karin mumbled as she looked Hinata up and down. "Well in that case-"

The redhead moved away from Sasuke to instead loop arms with a now surprised Hinata.

"You must come and meet the other girls. They are the best girls to know of course."

When a look of sheer panic flashed across Hinata's face Sasuke took a step forward to intervene.

"Karin-" he started but she stubbornly swatted his hand away.

"I can't believe you've been hiding your wife." she sniffed as she turned away with a reluctant Hinata in tow. "Men are unbelievable!"

The two of them disappeared swiftly into the crowded masses assembled in the Manor's courtyard. As soon as he could no longer see Hinata's retreating back he felt at a loss and exposed. His talisman to keep others at bay had been ripped away. He could feel the eyes of women upon him, all of them ready to pounce now that they'd been given the opportunity. Sasuke avoided looking at them all and instead went off in search of the instigator of this event.

Naruto had been conspicuously absent for most of the party. He had no doubt that this entire thing was just a ruse to spend more time with Hinata's servant without making his fiance suspicious of his whereabouts.

Sasuke weaved in and out of the crowded courtyard until he found refuge inside of his house. It was fairly quiet inside since all of the servants were outside attending to the multitude of guests. The Uchiha took a deep breath and sighed. the end of this party couldn't come soon enough. Slowly he journeyed through the Manor to his study and as luck would have it, it wasn't empty.

The door was cracked open slightly but he didn't need to watch the occupants in order to know what they were doing. Their raised voices were more than enough.

"Sakura-chan-"

"No. I can't."

"Just think about it. Coming with me won't be that bad."

"My place is here."

"Do you really want to be a servant for the rest of your life?"

"What else is there for me other than growing hungry in the street?"

"You can do whatever you want. You said yourself that you want more. I can give you that."

"And be hidden away in a corner of the palace for when you get bored."

"You won't be hidden."

"Oh, so I have to watch you parade around every day with your _wife_."

"It's not like that."

Having heard enough of this spat, Sasuke slid open the door to his study. Both Naruto and Sakura's heads snapped in his direction-surprised to see him standing there.

"Uchiha-sama." Sakura started with a shamed bow of her head and tried to walk away but Naruto caught her wrist.

"Think about it...please?"

Sakura didn't reply but as soon as he let go of her wrist she scurried out of the room. Once she was out of sight naruto visibly deflated and ran a hand through his hair. Sasuke, on the other hand, shook his head and moved towards his desk.

"What trouble are you trying to get yourself into?" Sasuke asked as he rummaged around for a bottle of sake and accompanying saucers.

Upon retrieval he poured two generous portions, downing his own in one go. Naruto slowly shuffled to his desk and took the second saucer, downing it just as quickly as the Uchiha.

"I'm not getting myself into trouble. I know what I'm doing."

Sasuke snorted and poured them both another saucer-full.

"I just don't get it. I asked her to join me at the palace and she just refused. She didn't even hesitate."

"Why are you even trying so hard? You've only just recently met." the Uchiha scoffed.

He honestly couldn't understand Naruto's infatuation with the girl. Sakura wasn't an ugly woman, she was certainly pretty in her own way. However, her pushy attitude when he first met her immediately negated all of that in his eyes. Well, that and the fact that when Hinata was around he barely noticed anyone else. As he finished his second saucer Naruto simply gaped at him as if he'd suddenly sprouted a second head.

"What?"

"What do you mean what? I would have thought that you of all people would understand how I feel."

"I don't." Sasuke grunted and poured himself another drink. "There are plenty of noblewomen that you've invited to my house that would be more than agreeable to you."

"I don't want those other women. I want Sakura. Don't you feel the same way about Hinata? I heard that you married her despite the fact that she was Itachi's wife first. There are plenty of other girls to choose from but you picked her."

Sasuke's jaw clenched and he looked away. He and Hinata's situation was different. In any case, this conversation was not about him. It was about Naruto getting over his stubbornness.

"Our situations are not the same. Sakura is a servant-"

"Fine. I'll buy her freedom from you."

"Naruto-"

"I'm serious Sasuke."

The Uchiha knew that he was. When Naruto got an idea in his head there wasn't much that could be done to dissuade him. The blonde stared at him determinedly, jaw tight and blue eyes focused. Behind the steadfast look in his eyes, there was an emotion he knew all too well because he'd felt it himself.

Naruto wanted Sakura.

"I don't want your money. If she leaves on her own with you I won't stop you." Sasuke said finally and Naruto immediately glomped onto him.

"Aw, you sweet bastard!"

Not one to appreciate physical affection, Sasuke tried to push him off. Unfortunately for him, Naruto was too heavy and excitable. Struggling with the man only led to both of them falling to the floor in a tangled heap of limbs.

"Get off of me you idiot!"

"Make me!"

...

 _ **The** **Twentieth** **Fall of the Hato**_

 _ **Imperial City- Uchiha Manor Courtyard**_

 _ **...**_

Hinata hadn't expected much from Karin but the redhead prattled on as if she'd explode if she didn't. The woman that she'd brought her to were not much different either. They gossiped constantly about the other attendees with words Hinata was sure should never be uttered by women of their statuses. She wasn't sure how many times she'd looked for an escape route from the gaggle of women. It had to have been more than a handful within the span of an hour.

"So, Uchiha-sama have you started looking for suitors yet?" a brunette asked demurely as she lifted a cup to her lips.

Hinata blinked and shook her head. What would she need to look for suitors for? She was already married. All around her the women shared knowing glances and smiles.

"The Uchiha have always been notoriously late when it comes to choosing matches for their children. I suppose that's what brought you hmm?" the brunette said sweetly. "Thank goodness you were available after the other girl died."

Died? What-

"I know. Poor girl came from sickly stock but who else was there to choose from when every other girl of note was spoken for?" the redhead crooned with a sly smile. "Don't let Sasuke's heir suffer such a fate to have to scrap the bottom of the clan barrel."

The other women laughed amongst themselves but Hinata felt an anger bubble in the pit of her stomach. The bottom of the clan barrel? The Hyuuga were a proud clan, to hear her family spoken about in such a degrading way was enough to make her see red.

However just as her anger mounted, a gentle hand was placed on her elbow.

The Uchiha jumped a bit at the unanticipated contact and whirled around. There stood a woman she'd never thought she'd see again. Blue eyes heavily lined with charcoal, lips painted red, and pale blonde hair piled high was Ino who looked more like a noblewoman than any of the others in attendance.

"Yamanaka." Karin scoffed.

"Uzumaki." Ino replied in the same disdainful cadence.

"What brings you here?"

At this question, Ino smirked and looped her arm through a shocked Hinata's.

"I'm just catching up with an old friend."

Karin narrowed her eyes skeptically before sniffing and turning back to her own friends. Without a parting word, Ino pulled Hinata away and onward through the crowd.

"I-Ino!" she stammered as they narrowly dodged attendees.

"Sorry to but in like that, you just looked like you needed some help." Ino smiled knowingly as she reassuringly patted her free hand to Hinata's shoulder. "Now stop looking like you've seen a ghost or you'll draw attention to us."

Hinata looked around the garden surreptitiously and tried to do away with her shaken appearance. This was especially difficult since she had a million questions on the tip of her tongue. She held back though and followed Ino on unsteady feet into the Manor. Once inside, Hinata took the lead and drew Ino upstairs to her own room. As soon as they were alone Ino let go of her arm and took a step back with a sheepish smile on her face.

"So, long time no see."

"Ino...I...I don't understand. What are you doing here? _How_ did you get here?"

When she ran away with Sai she'd taken nothing but the clothes on her back. Sai had been paid a hefty amount for the portrait but that would not have been enough to buy anything that Ino currently wore. Not only had she managed to avoid being caught by the people Sasuke had sent after her, but she was also standing here in the Manor unabashedly. Hinata didn't care that she'd run away. She was just happy to see her friend healthy and unharmed.

"I wish I had time to answer all of your questions, I even have some of my own but we will both have to wait until a better opportunity comes along."

Although dissatisfied with Ino's response, Hinata held her breath and her questions. Ino herself looked disappointed but the expression was quickly replaced with a serious one.

"We have Shisui."

"Shisui?"

Ino nodded solemnly, letting out a slow breath through her nose. So he had actually made it to the capital but when? Moreover who exactly was the 'we' that she spoke of?

"Hinata...it's bad. Really, really bad. I wish that I could explain more but only Sai can do that. Is Sasuke here? I looked all over for him before I came to you but I couldn't find him."

"I'm not sure where he is right now but I can find him."

"I don't need him right at this moment. It's better that I didn't meet him because I got the chance to see you." she said, her smile returning. "Give him this for me."

Ino then handed her a small note from the inside of her sleeve and pressed it into Hinata's palm. Before she was able to pull her hand away though, Hinata held onto it tightly with both of her own. She didn't verbalize it but Hinata knew that she was leaving. How could she though? They'd only just been reunited. She didn't want Ino to go. Not yet.

"Ino, can't you wait here for a few more minutes? I'm sure that I can find Sakura. She'd really like to see you again." Hinata said but Ino only smiled and gently slipped her hand away.

"I'm sure I'll see Sakura soon enough. Just make sure Sasuke gets that message alright?"

...

 _ **The Twenty-first Fall of the Taka**_

 _ **Imperial City- Uchiha Manor**_

 _ **...**_

He knew as soon as he started walking that he was drunk.

It had been a long time since he'd imbibed this much but Naruto was always a bad influence. Blearily Sasuke made his way to his room, rejecting the assistance of his concerned servants along the way. He didn't need their help. They would only slow him down with their coddling.

In any case, he was able to make it to his room with only a few missteps along the way. However, when he slid open the door the room was not empty. As if manifested from one of his fantasies, Hinata was laying on his futon. He'd lost track of time while drinking with Naruto but it must have been very late since she'd already changed out of her formal kimono and donned a thin, black yukata. She stirred as soon as he approached the futon, her dark hair mused as she looked up at him with sleepy eyes.

"Sasuke, you're back." she said.

Even though she was tired the sound of his name on her lips stirred something primal inside him. Did she have any idea what her voice did to him?

' _No.'_ Sasuke thought as he slowly sat on the futon. ' _Of course, she doesn't.'_

"You're in my bed...again." he slurred. "Why?"

"Sasuke-" she squeaked as he moved closer.

A blush spread from her cheeks to her neck but he knew that it went further. Was it so wrong to want to see it again? Perhaps but he was having a hard time controlling himself. Unconsciously he crawled over her, pinning her curvy form beneath him. All of her fatigue was now gone, her eyes alert and her body tense. She worried her bottom lip with her teeth and the nervous habit made him growl, leaning down close to her ear.

"Do you enjoy teasing me Hinata?" he whispered.

She shivered when his lips brushed over her ear but she didn't push him away. Emboldened, Sasuke repeated the motion. Once, twice, before taking the lower part of her ear into his mouth and teased it with his teeth and tongue.

"Sasuke!"

The way she said his name surged him forward and he relished the way she squirmed beneath him. Her hand came up against his chest, her fingers curling to clutch the front of his yukata tightly. When his lips moved from her ear to her neck she gasped. The sound of which shot straight to his lower region. All of her wiggling had loosened her yukata enough that he could easily kiss his way down the pale expanse of her neck to her collar bone.

He could feel her racing pulse and the warmth of her skin beneath his lips. It was even more intoxicating than the sake that coursed through his veins but not enough to satisfy him. He wanted, no he needed more. Moving more of his weight to one hand, Sasuke used the other to tug at the tie that kept her sleeping yukata closed. Unfortunately, one of her hands curled around his wrist to intercede his actions.

"Sasuke, stop. You're drunk." she said breathlessly and a bit of his sobriety returned.

He looked down at the woman beneath him, her neck marked and her yukata barely holding itself together.

What the hell was he doing? He'd sworn to himself that he wouldn't do this very thing.

He immediately leaned back and would have moved away completely had she not reached out to him.

"Where are you going?"

She almost sounded hurt by his departure but Sasuke pushed that thought aside and didn't answer. The reality of her rejection had killed his inebriated buzz and now the shame of his actions was seeping in. What the hell was wrong with him?

"You don't have to leave."

Her words washed over him and couldn't stop the indignant scoff that escaped his throat. She had no idea what she was saying.

"If I don't leave now I'll end up doing something we will both regret."

At this Hinata sat up fully, the motion forcing him to sit back as well. She stared him down with such serious eyes that he was surprised to see at a moment like this.

"What do I have to regret?" she asked firmly and Sasuke spoke without thinking.

"Everything."

It was true. He should have found a way to keep her without tying her to his side forever. He should have been more firm with the elders and stood his ground. He should have never coveted her in the first place.

"Sasuke...we can talk more in the morning when you're sober." Hinata said firmly as she leaned closer, placing her hands on his shoulders for support.

He didn't anticipate her using her weight against him to press him into the futon onto his back. Nor did he expect the sensation of her legs trapping his waist on either side and the near overpowering warmth that laid between them. When she suddenly kissed him everything else faded away and for several fleeting moments, he lost himself in her mouth.

Her lips. Her tongue. Her taste. Everything was distinctly Hinata. Soft and sensuous. Unsure and clumsy. She pulled away much too soon for his liking but only far enough for his eyes to meet her own. What she said next was the last thing he ever thought she'd say to him and actually mean it.

"Sasuke." she whispered. "I have many regrets. I regret never reuniting with my sister. I regret being ignorant of my clan's demise and unable to help them when they were in need."

She kissed his jaw, his neck. Her lips were feather light and raised goosebumps whenever they met his skin.

"I regret not truly knowing my mother and being unable to recognize Mikoto's struggle. I regret being too afraid of Itachi to ever discover more than his surface especially since I know he means so much to you."

Her hands moved from his shoulders to his hakama and she pulled open the material, exposing his skin to the humid night air. His heart beat faster as her lips kissed downward. From his jaw to his neck. His neck to his chest. When she reached his heart she paused and pressed her ear against the center of his chest. She could hear it...how fast his heart was beating. She had to know what she did to him-what she was doing to him. After a long while she rose back to meet his gaze and her long hair fell in a curtain around them.

"I have many regrets but you are not one of them."

 **T** **o** **be continued...**

 _An empty_ _road_

 _lonelier_ _than abandonment:_

 _this autumn evening_

 ** _(Basho)_**


	36. Chapter 36

**CCNote: This chapter is not for those who think the female body is 'gross'. Enjoy and don't forget to leave a REVIEW!**

 **Okiya**

 _An empty road_

 _lonelier than abandonment:_

 _this autumn evening_

 ** _(Basho)_**

 _ **The Twenty-seventh Fall of the Karasu**_

 _ **Location Unknown**_

 _ **...**_

After discovering his father's abandonment Itachi immediately went back into to the shack to salvage what little he could. They had no food to speak of nor a way to hunt on their own. The absence of his katana also meant that they were left without a way to properly defend themselves. Frowning he put random items that may or may not be of use later into a flimsy rough-spun bag before scanning the room three times over to see if there was anything else. His father's disappearance, while unfortunate, was not unexpected. His father had never been one to take the easy way in life.

No food.

No weapons.

No map.

"So what now?" the Hyuuga asked from where she hovered near the front door of the small home.

Itachi ran a tired hand through his hair and let out a slow breath through his nose. What now indeed. Their options were limited and lingering any longer in the shack would not be beneficial to them. So he did the only thing he could do, he slung the makeshift pack over his shoulder and proceeded to walk out of the shack and onto the well-trodden road. The Hyuuga followed him quickly despite the fact that she had no idea where he was headed. Neither did he for that matter but her trust in him was unwavering.

 _'Whatever your plan is I will follow you.'_

"Hey Commander-" she started but at the sound of his name, Itachi stopped walking and she promptly crashed into his back. "What-"

"You shouldn't call me that. Not while we are away from the troops." Itachi informed her before reaching behind him and pulling the girl by her wrist to stand at his side. "Keep up."

He couldn't remain vigilant if she was always two steps behind him. She seemed to understand this fact but it didn't stop her from rubbing her nose and glaring at him.

"If not 'Commander' then what?" she asked as they began to walk again.

"Itachi is fine."

"I-ta-chi." she said, overly emphasizing every syllable and scrunching up her nose. "It sounds weird."

"Is Hanabi any different?"

"Of course it is! Hanabi is a great- wait. I've never told you my name."

Itachi shook his head at her realization and smirked. His suspicions had been right all along.

"Consider it a lucky guess."

"Sure sure I-ta-chi. So where are we going?"

The Uchiha rolled his sore shoulders, pressing his lips in a tight line. Their entire clan's campaign this time had been about finding his father. Well, they found him, rescued him, and now had been promptly abandoned by that same man. Their mission was over and now all there was left to do was return to the District and defend it against foreign invaders. He'd had no problem allowing the chaos his father and Danzo had brought run its course.

As long as those he cared about were safe that was all that mattered. His brother was likely in a sore mood from being left out of this campaign just like all the others but he'd surely be happy to have him back. His mother had worried about his well being for long enough and Shisui was probably in a similar state. To have an army return without their Commander was a bad sign. He could only hope that they didn't think he was dead. Sighing he adjusted his bag on his shoulder and addressed the expectant girl at his side.

"We are heading to the Uchiha District."

"The Uchiha District?" the Hyuuga repeated, stopping in her tracks.

Itachi continued on without her but it didn't take long for his exuberant counterpart to catch up. When she did, she skipped happily next to him with a large smile plastered to her face.

"General Shisui will be there right?" she asked and Itachi felt a chuckle bubble up in his chest.

"He should be if he carried out my orders correctly."

"Of course he did. The General is one of the most capable men out there."

This was true which was why Itachi had chosen his cousin in the first place. Still, it was...cute to witness the Hyuuga gush in such a way. It appeared that Shisui had a fan, a fact that he would never allow the older man to live down.

"And my sister?" Hanabi asked, snapping him out of his thoughts. "She'll be there too right?"

 _'Hinata._ ' Itachi thought before stiffly nodding.

She should still be within the District by the time they arrived. Even if Shisui had carried his orders out to perfection she would not have had a chance to find a husband from another clan and take her leave of the Uchiha just yet. That was also assuming that she would be able to find another suitor. A separated woman would not be seen as a desirable match to some more traditional clans. It would not be entirely bad if she hadn't managed to find another husband. The safest place in Konoha was within the District-

"Ya know..." The Hyuuga started pensively. "I've always wanted to see the Uchiha District. I was so jealous when Hinata got to leave and I had to stay behind."

"You were jealous?" Itachi asked teasingly with a quirk of his brow.

"Mmmm. All I ever wanted was to get out of the Inner Ring and I heard that the Uchiha District was massive like a city. It just sucks that the old man ditched us to go on to the capital."

At the mention of the capital, Itachi stopped cold in his tracks. Hanabi walked on a bit but then turned to look back at him, surprised by his halt. He, however, was consumed by what she'd said. His father was heading for the capital?

"Why?" Itachi asked and Hanabi stared back perplexed.

"How do you know that's where he's heading?"

"Oh well because he said he wanted to kill the Shogunate. So I just figured that's where he went. He lives in the capital right?" Itachi closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose.

All thoughts of going home were now gone. There were more pressing matters to attend to. He could only hope that they made it to the capital before the invaders or his father. Otherwise, there was going to be a lot of bloodshed.

 _'Dammit, Oto-san.'_

 **...**

 _ **The Sixteenth Fall of the Suzume**_

 _ **Location Unknown**_

 _ **...**_

Their first day of walking wasn't so bad. Sure it was hot and tedious but it wasn't anything unfamiliar to her. Marching in the summer heat and laden down by weapons was significantly harder work. The next day was much of the same but she felt more sluggish than before. As the day wore on she became increasingly irritated by the smallest of things. Just the sweat that dripped into her eye was enough to make her want to scream. When her stomach growled with a hunger that would not be satiated anytime soon she almost did.

It wasn't until Itachi decided to stop for the night that she realized what was wrong. She'd felt the blood trickle down her leg before she saw it and cursed her own forgetfulness and body. From being captured to escaping to endlessly traipsing the countryside she'd completely forgotten about her cycle. She didn't have any of the rags that she usually used around this time. Those were all in her tent with the Uchiha encampment. All she had were the clothes on her back but she had to do something. Freely bleeding and walking was not ideal. She'd end up ruining the already tattered yukata she currently wore.

 _'My clothes!_ ' Hanabi thought as she eyed her frayed navy sleeves.

Typically during her moon cycle at the Compound, she'd wear a red nagajuban underneath her regular clothing to hide any bloodstains that might soak through the rags. The material of her yukata was absorbant enough but she would have to be extra careful not to bleed through.

"Hanabi." Itachi called in the distance and the girl in question cursed under her breath.

Couldn't he be more patient?

"Just a minute!" she called back, slipping the top of her yukata down to her waist.

"It gets darker, faster this time of year."

"I know!"

Hanabi put the shoulder end of the sleeve in her mouth and pulled at the opposite end with all her might. It took a few pulls but eventually, the seam gave away with a satisfying rip. When she proceeded to do the same thing to the other sleeve as well Itachi called out to her again.

"Hanabi."

"I'm almost done!"

' _Kami if that man isn't the most impatient I've ever met!'_ Hanabi grumbled inwardly as she continued to rip her severed sleeves into usable rags.

It's not like she could tell him what she was doing either. Men would never understand having to do something like this. When she died she hoped she was reincarnated as a boy. At least then she would never have to deal with this curse once a month. Men could do whatever they wanted whenever they wanted.

 _'Lucky bastards.'_

 **...**

"I'll take the first watch." Hanabi rolled her eyes and laid down on the hard forest floor a foot away from the Uchiha.

There was no one chasing after them right now. Having someone keep watch when the road just beyond the forest was empty was unnecessary but who was she to protest? She was already exhausted and in a sour mood. She sighed and closed her eyes. If she went to sleep she wouldn't feel the abhorrent way her stomach was twisting. Fitfully, she shifted from laying on her right side to her left. From her back to her front. Yet no matter how she changed positions she was unable to get comfortable. It was so frustrating that she gave up on trying to sleep and instead just curled up on her side- all the while wishing that the cramps would cease.

"You need to go to sleep." Itachi said from his perch against a tree. "You will only slow us down if you are sluggish tomorrow."

"I'm _trying_ to but I can't." Hanabi snapped back at him, tears of frustration pricking the corners of her eyes as she glared.

How could he expect sleep to come easily when she was hungry and laying amidst rocks and twigs? The Commander was taken aback by her response but did not reprimand her. When he did speak his request surprised her.

"Come here." Hanabi blinked from her spot on the ground.

What did he want from her? Still, she sat up and walked over to where he sat, wincing only once when her stomach twisted. When she reached him, he grabbed her wrist and pulled her down to sit in his lap. He was a lot stronger than she'd expected and she fell easily into him.

"Comman- Itachi." She squeaked, her voice partially muffled by his chest.

She tried to push away from him but froze when his fingers dug into her lower back. His fingers moved from that point to one a little higher and in a circular motion. It was the strangest sensation. Rough but not unwelcome. Distracting enough that all her previous discomfort was banished to the back of her mind.

"Breathe." he said.

Hanabi wanted to tell him that such a thing was impossible but his fingers dug in again at a slightly higher point. The air she had been holding escaped from her lungs and she gripped the front of his yukata tightly. So maybe breathing wasn't exactly impossible. As he continued his motions up either side of her spine she unwittingly relaxed against him. By the time he reached her neck, she felt as if all of the bones in her body had melted away. Her cramps had lessened to a dull throb and her exhaustion from traveling all day surfaced in full force. His fingers moved with well-applied pressure up and down either side of her spine until all of her muscles relaxed and her eyelids grew heavy.

It was on his third pass down her back that she could no longer fight her consciousness and sleep finally overtook her.

 **...**

When Hanabi finally awoke the next morning sunrise was just beginning to peek through the dappled canopy of the leaves above them. The forest itself was teeming with the sounds of birds chirping to greet the new day and small creatures scurrying through the branches in search of food. It was nice to wake up to such a calm. It was peaceful and warm and...

 _'Wait-warm?_ ' Hanabi thought and froze as something other than the typical sounds of the morning filled her ears.

They were all replaced by a heartbeat. Strong and steady and most certainly not her own. All at once memories from the night before filled her head and realization began to set in with her position. She was still in Itachi's lap and although it was far from uncomfortable she shouldn't be here!

"I know that you're awake." Itachi said and she could feel the low vibration of his voice against her now burning right cheek. "You snore when you sleep."

Now more offended than she was embarrassed, Hanabi leaned back and crossed her arms over her chest.

"I do not!"

For his part, Itachi simply smirked at her retort. The expression, however, was tinged with fatigue. the bags under his eyes were more prominent now and she felt guilty to see him in such a state. She had promised to protect him and yet he had stayed up all night making sure that she slept. She wanted to ask him why he did such a thing or at least admonish him for not waking her up sooner but she didn't.

Instead, she inwardly resolved to stand firm tonight and take first watch. This way he might actually get some sleep. For now, she sheepishly extricated herself from his lap and stood up. He rose as well but she stopped him with a simple hand against his chest. She might be awake but she had a few things to take care of before they set off again. He gave her a skeptical look but didn't protest when she scurried off into the trees and for that she was grateful.

 **...**

 _ **The Twenty-seventh Fall of the Karasu**_

 _ **Location Unknown**_

 _ **...**_

After three full days of walking along the well-trodden road, Itachi was relieved to come upon a relatively large village. It was dense enough to remain anonymous which was a gift considering their current predicament. With anonymity also came rougher aspects of the human experience. being that it was so far away from the capital, it was free from its influence and therefore harbored less than tasteful inhabitants.

Surprisingly though the Hyuuga was none the wiser to the sell swords that stumbled around drunk in the middle of the day nor the vagrants that loitered in alleyways. She was too busy marveling at the women hawking their goods and walking unaccompanied through the city streets. In fact, the best way to describe her current state was utterly and completely fascinated.

"So these women can work?" she asked curiously as she tugged at the edge of his sleeve. "They don't have to stay inside?"

"If they were to remain inside their families starve when winter comes. They must go out and make money." Itachi explained and her brow furrowed in thought.

"Money? Ya know I've never actually seen money before." At this Itachi paused. Sometimes it was all too easy to forget what a pampered life the Hyuuga had in the Inner ring of her compound.

Although it was surprising that she'd never seen the money it made sense. If she never left the compound she had no need of the stuff. However, they were far from the compound and she needed to learn how to actually buy things on her own. Too many people would be all too eager to take advantage of her naivete. Itachi slipped his hand into the inner pocket of his yukata. ready to show her their country's currency but his fingers brushed against nothing but cloth. Inwardly he cursed himself. He'd forgotten that they had no money to speak of and that presented them with more than one problem.

They had run out of edible things they'd foraged along the road so without money they'd couldn't buy anything to eat. He also didn't trust the forest that surrounded the village to be the safest place for them to rest tonight either. They needed a room and money was necessary for that as well. If he were by himself and had a weapon he would be fine. However, he was with a woman and one with rather distinctive eyes as well. Those eyes had turned heads the instant they'd entered the village. Men and women alike nearly broke their necks swiveling around to get a second look at the strange girl in their midst. Due to the reaction of the villagers, it was no small wonder as to why the Hyuugas had cloistered themselves off the way that they had.

"We don't actually have any money do we?" Hanabi snickered, snapping Itachi out of his thoughts.

"It appears not." he replied.

They were penniless, malnourished, and needed a way to make it to the capital faster than his father or the invading forces. Although their situation appeared bleak he'd been through worse. At least right now as they walked through the bustling streets of the village they were not in any immediate danger. It was on his stomach's thirtieth growl that they finally came upon a tiny tea house with a 'help wanted' poster stuck to the outer wall. Women with their faces painted white silently entered the building in pairs, their eyes never once straying to one side or the other.

"They're really pretty." Hanabi said breathlessly as she watched them disappear into the tea house.

"Pretty is one way to put it-" Itachi started but swallowed his words when Hanabi thoughtlessly bounded up to the 'help wanted' poster and snatched it from the wall.

She then disappeared into the tea house and Itachi mentally sighed.

"Think before you act Hyuuga." he growled under his breath.

He admired her tenacity but she lacked self-awareness. This was not an ordinary tea house and those women were not customers. Folding his hands into the sleeves of his yukata he stood across the street from the tea house and waited. It was only a matter of time before she got thrown out and this would be a good lesson for her.

 **...**

 **The Sixteenth Fall of the Suzume**

 **Location Unknown**

 **...**

The inside of the tea house was eerily peaceful compared to the noise of the village outside. Only the sound of the gravel in the genkan that crunch underfoot could be heard. The air itself was filled with an odd mix of perfume, tea, and sweets which Hanabi couldn't help but inhale deeply. Upon doing so her stomach growled, reminding her that it was upset with her neglect.

"What are you doing in here little boy? We don't have anything to give you." a harsh voice snapped from the hallway entrance.

Hanabi turned around quickly to find a rather buxom woman holding a long skinny pipe and staring down her nose at her. If she had been in any other condition she would have taken offense at the woman's gaze. She looked at her as if she were muck that one would scrape from the bottom of a geta. The woman herself was quite beautiful despite her scowl. Her dark hair had an odd purple tinge to it- a shade which Hanabi had never seen before-and the blood-red kimono she wore was patterned with dark green snakes. Taking a long puff of her pipe, the woman shooed her away.

"Get out boy. You're bad for business."

Business? Business! That's right she'd come into this shop with a purpose! Unfurling the crumpled 'help wanted' sign she held it out to the tall woman and bowed her head respectfully.

"I...I saw this sign outside." The woman snatched the paper out of the Hyuuga's hands and scoffed.

"As I said before this is not a place for boys-"

"I'm not a boy!"

"Hanabi." The girl in question tensed at the sound of Itachi's voice behind her.

Why couldn't he have waited outside longer? Why did he have to be so impatient? Behind her, she could hear his footsteps approach her and braced herself when his heavy hand landed on her head and forced her to bow in apology to the woman.

"We are sorry to disturb you. We will be going now."

"Going?" the woman said, her voice now surprisingly less harsh than before. "I am in desperate need of help actually. Follow me."

At this Hanabi popped back up to stand straight and perplexed by the woman's sudden shift in attitude. She glanced at Itachi but his face was as unreadable as always. Conversely, the woman wore a small smile and a glint in her eye. What the hell was going on? Although confused, Hanabi slipped off her shoes and followed the woman and Itachi further into the tea house. The establishment itself was a narrow hallway with small rooms branching off along the way.

As they passed each room muffled sounds could be heard in each one. Sometimes there was laughter and other times the plucking of strings or the lilt of a voice. It didn't take long for them to reach the end of the hallway where the woman opened a door to an empty room and beckoned them inside. All three of them sat stiffly around a low lying table before the woman took a long puff from her pipe. Dark grey eyes locked onto Hanabi's own and moved from her face down to the rest of her body.

"Not a boy hm?" she said pensively. "Do you have any talents?" Hanabi blinked.

Talents? Did killing people from several yards away count as a talent? Probably not... Sensing her confusion the woman sighed.

"Can you play an instrument?"

"No."

Learning how to play an instrument was a frivolous pursuit.

"Sing?"

"No."

What would have given her cause to sing?

"Recite poetry?"

At this Hanabi scrunched up her nose and shook her head. She hated reading with a passion. Across the table, the woman's eyes narrowed.

"How old are you?"

"Sixteen."

"Sixteen is too old to train. You could never hope to become a mediocre maiko at this point let alone anything beyond but..." the woman said slyly with a glance at Itachi. "What is your relation to one another?"

Hanabi opened her mouth to reply but Itachi smoothly beat her to it.

"I am her brother."

"Brother, you say? I've never known siblings to have such drastically different eyes. Though I'm sure you've heard that a lot."

Itachi didn't answer but the woman seemed satisfied. She turned her gaze back to Hanabi and tapped ash onto the table from the end of her pipe.

"Our last servant girl died in childbirth a few days ago. Now her room is empty and there are chores piling up. Do you at least know how to clean?"

This too was not one of Hanabi's strong suits but she quickly nodded her head. A room was exactly what they needed right now. She could do anything as long as they had that. The woman smiled and reached for a tiny silver bell on the table. She rang it and a twinkling noise was emitted. From the other side of the shoji door, a shadow scurried up and bowed but didn't enter.

"Yes okaa-san?" the newcomer called softly through the rice paper.

"I'll have my dinner here early and be sure to bring extra. We have guests."

"Yes, okaa-san!" The shadow immediately scampered away.

Hanabi's stomach growled at the prospect of being fed. Even just a bowl of rice would have been a feast at this point. The woman chuckled at the sound of her stomach and smirked.

"I imagine you're both hungry and you may eat your fill however I do have a few conditions before I allow you into the fold. First, your day will begin at sunrise and not finish until every task for the day is complete. I will not have my okiya's name dragged through the mud because of forgetfulness or half-ass work. Do you understand?" the woman asked sternly and Hanabi nodded insistently.

"I'll do my best..."

"Call me okaa-san. I am the madam here and a mother to all my girls while under this roof."

"I'll do my best okaa-san." Hanabi said though doing so felt strange.

She'd never called anyone 'mother' before. The woman's gaze turned back to Itachi who she gave a wink to.

"To _you_ however I am Mitarashi Anko."

"We appreciate your hospitality Mitarashi-san."

"Mmm...you're a rather formal man. How interesting. My second condition applies to you." Anko said smoothly. "I do not allow men near my girls. If you so much as breathe in their presence I will have no choice but to throw both of you out."

Hanabi tried her best not to roll her eyes at Anko's second condition. Like Itachi would be interested in other women anyway. He was married to her sister. Although the women she'd seen before were pretty they were nothing in comparison to Hinata. Only a fool would be tempted to wander elsewhere. Still Itachi nodded and his response made Anko smile and reach across the table to gently stroke the back of his hand.

"Don't worry though. You may come and go freely from the servants quarters and who knows. Maybe I'll even find time to visit."

 _ **To be continued...**_

 _Let us arrange_

 _these lovely flowers in the bowl_

 _since there's no rice_

 ** _(Basho)_**


	37. Chapter 37

**CCNote** : Hey! Long-time no see! Transitioning back to the States is a greater undertaking than I'd anticipated. Between job hunting, networking, taking care of younger siblings, and resetting up my life I'm a bit too busy to post on a consistent basis. The good news is that I'm still writing this story whenever I get the chance. The bad news is that nothing I write will be posted just yet. I plan to post in bursts of 3-4 chapters at a time till the story is complete to make up for my inconsistency. If you are in my Discord chat I will be posting early snippets as I go along. If you are Mel in the Mitten send me a PM since your account doesn't allow me to message you personally. To everyone else, I'll see you in a few weeks!


	38. Chapter 38

**CCNote:** **Taking a short break from job hunting to post this update. I'll have the next 2 chapters up later this evening and tomorrow morning.**

 **Keywords in this chapter:**

 _ **Shikomi**_ **are the youngest girls in an okiya. They typically do chores around the house like helping the older geisha and maiko with menial tasks. They go to special 'schools' as well.**

 _ **Maiko**_ **are trained girls around 15-16 (depending on the okiya) who are bonded with their onee-san (an older geisha) who gives them a new name through a misedashi ceremony. At this stage a girl will begin her journey to become a geisha.**

 **ANYWAY keep in mind that Hanabi and Itachi are roughly ahead of the Sasuke and Hinata timeline-wise so at this point in the story Sasuke and Hinata are a few days away from reaching the capital. This is important to note so yea. Also, keep in mind that this story is rated M for a reason. Over the next three chapters, there will be a lot of heavy things to deal with. Keep that in mind as there will be no warning but this one.**

 _Let us arrange_

 _these lovely flowers in the bowl_

 _since there's no rice_

 ** _(Basho)_**

 **Hangyoku**

 _ **The Sixteenth Fall of the Suzume**_

 _ **Umeno Okiya**_

 _ **...**_

"Wow! That was easy!" Hanabi proudly mused aloud.

She had expected that finding a way to make money for their journey would be a lot harder than what had just transpired. Anko, or okaa-san as she preferred to be called, was a strange woman but not unreasonable. How hard could cleaning be anyway? Beside her, Itachi grunted and she narrowed her eyes at him.

"Do you disagree?" she asked with her arms crossed and chin tilted upward.

"You don't realize what you've gotten yourself into."

"Oh, like you had any better ideas. Besides I'm not in this alone. You're in this with me so you benefit."

"In what way?"

"Look at this." Hanabi huffed spreading her arms wide to gesture at the bare room they now occupied. "We'd be sleeping on the streets or worse."

"I would not have made you sleep on the street." Itachi replied, mildly taking offense at her implications of his incompetence.

'No. You would have made me sleep in the woods.' Hanabi thought but she bit her tongue.

Now was not the time for arguments or to bruise his pride further- even if it was quickly shaping up that Hyuugas were far more capable than Uchihas. As if her smug thoughts were stamped plainly across her forehead, Itachi took a step forward and towered over her.

"Do you know what they are doing downstairs as we speak?" he asked evenly and Hanabi blinked.

Was he referring to those painted women from before? Sure they were heavily dressed for a day out but she really didn't think much of it. In her opinion, everyone dressed outlandishly outside of the Compound. Besides, what did it matter anyway? Comfortable with her ignorance, Hanabi shrugged. Itachi's lips pressed into a tight line as if he were trying to hold himself back.

"A teahouse does not only serve tea."

"Well, I imagine they serve food too."

"There are men here who may harm you." He said and Hanabi rolled her eyes.

Did he really want to choose now to worry about her contact with men?

"I've been surrounded by stinky gross men for months. I can handle my own against anyone-"

She would have finished her sentence but in a split second she found her feet were swept out from under her and she landed with a thud on the hard attic floor. Itachi glowered at her from above with his arms crossed and that all too familiar look of disapproval in his eyes. No longer was simply Itachi. For now, at least he'd returned to being her Commander. In the back of her mind, she regretted all of her insolence but her pride kept her from apologizing. Instead, she rose to her feet and nearly met the floor again but she dodged his sweeping foot with a wobbly sidestep.

"What are you-" she demanded but he moved faster than she could see and she ended up on her back again. "Ah!"

She knew better than to seek pity from Itachi but it didn't make the impact of the wood hurt any less. Irate and unreasonable, she got to her feet and launched herself at him. Of course, he was solid muscle and despite all of her training, she could not move him. She only found herself back on the floor with the wind knocked out of her lungs.

Unwilling to concede, she tried to rise but found herself pinned down with her wrists about her head and for the first time she felt afraid. It was a bothersome, clawing feeling in the pit of her stomach and rose to panic up her throat. If he sensed her fear, she didn't know but a split second later Itachi released her and leaned back on his haunches. Hesitantly Hanabi sat up, massaging her wrists to erase the pain and awkwardness.

"You are without the benefit of your weapons here." Itachi said, his previously hard tone returning to a state of calm.

Hanabi did not respond and turned her head away in defiance. How could he be so harsh on her? Had she not found them shelter to regroup and plan their move to the capital? Had she not provided them an opportunity to make money that they desperately needed? Above all else, had she not proven herself a capable warrior in battle and a loyal subordinate? His worry for her was insulting.

"Without a bow or a blade, how do you expect to defend yourself?"

Rough fingers gently grabbed her chin and turned her to face him once more. She didn't want to look at him. He was a jerk- a tyrant- but she had little else to turn to.

"I can take care of myself Commander." She mumbled through gritted teeth.

Moegi had shown her plenty at the encampment and her father and drilled the Hyuuga fighting style so far into her brain she could do it in her sleep. Itachi did not appear skeptical of her response nor angry like before. Instead, he let her go and stood up, offering her a hand once at full height.

"Then show me."

 _..._

 ** _The Twenty-Seventh Fall of Karasu_**

 ** _Kamishichi_**

 ** _..._**

There were many things that Itachi knew about the world.

He knew of greed and desire. He understood the suffocating instability of hopelessness. More than anything he knew the ways of man and that never changed regardless of the location. This particular city was no different.

Bustling about just before dawn, vagrants were being scrapped up off the street from their revelries the night before. The ones who were lucky were able to stumble aimlessly on their own. Those who were not so fortunate remained barely conscious, their heavy heads lolling on limp necks. There were a few women late from their previous appointments on the street. They walked briskly alone or in pairs, never deigning to look further than where their feet could carry them. In rumpled kimonos and mused makeup it was less a walk of shame and more of resignment, for now, their work had ended…at least for a few hours.

Outside of the last remnants of the night before, the morning scene began to unfold. Merchants plodded into the market place with the heavy carts of their wares. The sounds of metal clanging together and animals braying filled the air- providing a stark contrast to the soft noise of the mornings he'd grown accustomed to while on the run. As the sun rose, the village did the same and life filled the streets as it had every day before. It was a typical sight. Mundane. Yet he knew that Hanabi would have enjoyed people watching. The last village they'd walked through was full of dead bodies after all. Still, he could not indulge her curiosity this morning. There was work to be done…

… _It was lighter in the room when he opened his eyes though he'd never entirely gone to sleep in the first place. Rest was hard to come by when his mind was too busy trying to piece together what he knew and what he didn't._

 _His warriors should have returned to protect the District. After the battles they'd fought they would not be keen to remain in the line of enemy fire without a Commander. They knew what to do and with their return the District would be safe…_

 _His father should be alive and making his way towards that capital. He was a resourceful man-one who had taught Itachi all he knew. Not even death would stop him from accomplishing his goal even if it was a fool's errand…_

 _And Itachi considered himself the biggest fool of all._

 _He should leave his father to his own devices. Let him exact vengeance that could never be had. Where would that leave the clan in the end? Danzo was not a man known to allow others to not share the burden of punishment. There would be retaliation against the clan. Against his people who he'd sworn to protect. Against Sasuke._

" _Mmmm."_

 _A sleepy moan next to him drew him out of his own mind and back to reality. The culprit lay only a few inches away from him. Somehow she'd managed to worm her way over from her futon to his in the middle of the night. Hyuuga Hanabi was not a peaceful sleeper. She snored, occasional mumbled nonsense, and if the way the sheets were tangled between her legs was anything to go by she also fought._

 _Amused, Itachi turned to his side and lifted up to balance himself on his forearm. Hanabi's brow scrunched up at his movement but didn't wake. Her mouth remained slightly parted, brown hair mused with locks plastered to her forehead. Slender fingers clenched and unclenched the sheet beneath her and he couldn't help but wonder what she reached for. Absently he pushed some of her hair from her forehead and that furrowed brow of hers instantly relaxed. When his fingertips brushed the shell of her ear she sighed. It was odd how agreeable she was when unconscious. If only this kind of pliability would follow her into waking hours then he would not have to worry so much._

' _I can take care of myself Commander.'_

 _Could she? The sight of her body battered and bruised from her time being captured had yet to fade from his mind. The physical evidence remained albeit yellowed and fading more with each passing day. She always walked as if nothing had ever happened. She still prattled on endlessly and stared with wonder at the world around her as if there wasn't harm around every corner._

 _She was innocent and a liability._

 _Last night she might have started to understand the potential danger she'd put herself in. She would have if he hadn't held himself back. If he'd told her of the favors expected of a woman in an okiya whose reputation was unknown. If he'd explained to her thoroughly the dangers of men and the flesh. Yet when she looked up at him with fear in her eyes, he knew that these were lessons he could not teach her. That obstinate light that shone in her eyes was one he could not bring himself to dim. So he would resume the mantle of her Commander and teach her to fight. To kill with her bare hands if she had to. It was the only way to assuage his own guilt and frustration._

 _Drawing back his fingers that had lingered too long, Itachi sat up fully and rose from the futon. He did not have the luxury of remaining for too long. While there was a roof over their heads for now, they needed to get out as fast as possible. Doing so required money they didn't have and wouldn't be able to amass quickly on the paltry wages Anko would pay her. Weapons. Horses. Supplies. Those were of the utmost priority…_

…Pushing the memory out of his mind, Itachi noticed a sharp movement out of the corner of his eye. The flutter of a kimono sleeve. The clatter of a geta left behind. No one on the street seemed to notice the disturbance but he did. With measured steps so as not to draw attention to himself, Itachi walked toward the mouth of the alley. Inside of the darkened enclosure he heard the sounds of a muffled struggle. A cry and then silence. None of which deterred him from walking further into the dim alley. If anything it made him hasten his pace but it was all for nothing. At the end of the alley was a scene he'd witnessed more times than he cared to admit. _Death._

Blood gushing from her temple, a woman stared sightlessly at the sunrise overhead. Her attacker was so distracted with the folds of her kimono that he likely didn't know she was dead nor did he realize that he had company. Silently Itachi crossed the distance between himself and the assailant's back. The man reeked of stale liquor, piss, and desperation. It only took a split second for Itachi to place his hands where they needed to be on his head and one more to snap his neck. The man had no idea what had hit him and fell in a dead heap onto the woman he'd murdered.

Mechanically he moved the man's body off of her and began to search for anything of value. The first thing he happened upon was a nearly empty bottle of sake. The Uchiha unceremoniously tossed it and the ceramic vessel smashed against the stone. Outside of the sake the man only possessed three iron coins and a short dagger. It wasn't much but it put him in a better position than before. Rising to his feet, Itachi pocketed the stolen items within the folds of his yukata and turned to l leave without sparring another glance at either body.

Did stealing from a dead man make him wrong?

Did murdering one who murdered another make him a monster?

As he stepped out into the light of the now fully bustling morning market he pushed those philosophical thoughts from his mind. He did not have the luxury to contemplate his moral failings. That could be done in the dark hours of the night when sleep once again alluded him. For now, he blended into the crowd and watched. Waited. Until the obvious signs of a pickpocket crossed his path and he found himself in another dark alley.

 ** _…._**

 ** _The Sixteenth Fall of the Suzume_**

 ** _Umeno Okiya_**

 ** _..._**

When Hanabi awoke to the loud trampling of footsteps outside the attic door she was disoriented and alone. She wasn't given much time to gain her bearings however before the door was thrust open and three older women clucked over her disapprovingly.

How could she sleep in so late?

What kind of urchin had Anko allowed into their realm?

They drew her out of bed and pushed a simple gray yukata and obi into her arms. She dressed mechanically as the women tapped their feet and waited for her to make herself presentable. The material of the yukata was stiff against her skin and her fingers fumbled with all of the ties but eventually she was ready. She followed the impatient women down the narrow, steep stairs of the teahouse where all was silent until they reached the kitchens.

There was a scene of order chaos where all cogs under Anko's purview worked quickly to begin the day. Hanabi barely had time to register anything before a rag and bucket was shoved into her hands and she was directed to scrub the garden table just outside of the kitchen. She did so without protest, though her spar with Itachi from the night before was beginning to catch up with her, and scrubbed the well-worn polished wood of the garden table until it shined.

She completed her task not a moment too soon either because a new clamor of noise filled the garden and a handful of girls scrambled in. Their yukatas were pale pastels and hair unbound. The youngest couldn't have been more than nine and the oldest was fifteen. Hanabi stood frozen before them with her bucket of dirty water and a rag before one of the older women from before grabbed her and dragged her back through the kitchen door.

"It isn't polite to stare." She clucked and Hanabi nodded quickly.

"Who are they?" she asked with a glance over her shoulder but the women was already leading her away.

"Those are okaa-san's shikomi."

"They work here too?"

"Not yet. They are far from being finished with their training." The woman mumbled as she began to pass Hanabi stacks of empty porcelain dishes. "Take these outside and don't drop them."

Hanabi did as she was told, eager to steal more glimpses of the rambunctious girls outside. Unfortunately, by the time she reached the garden Anko had arrived and all of the girls sat still like dolls around the table. Even the smallest of them was doing her best to keep from fidgeting. They ignored her as she set the table around them but she didn't take much offense-they ignored even their food until they were given permission to eat. When provided, Anko slowly circled the table- correcting a slouching posture here, rapting a limp wrist there. Hanabi felt a small tinge of homesickness at the

Breakfast in the garden was a quiet affair and dulled some of the Hyuuga's curiosity. She sat in wait by the kitchen door with a handful of other servants until every last morsel was consumed and the girls were dismissed with a list of chores. It was then that she moved with the rush of servants back out into the garden to clear the dirty dishes, trays, and table. To her surprise, however, Anko did not leave and the table was set up again-this time more elaborately than before.

Instead of a simple meal like before, exotic fruits and vegetables were brought-delicately cut into shapes wholly unnecessary for breakfast. There were three different varieties of grilled fish and two different soups and more rice than what Hanabi believed to be needed. Once everything was set, she was ushered back into the kitchen and Anko took a seat at the head of the table.

As the other servants resumed bustling around the kitchen, Hanabi peeked through the window just in time to see six women glide over to the table. They all bowed deeply to Anko before falling into a fit of giggles when she pointedly ignored them in favor of lighting her pipe. Vaguely it registered to her that one of these women had to be the painted lady she'd seen the night before but she couldn't recognize any of them. Without the thick makeup and expensive clothing the ethereal beauty from them disappeared and they all just looked regular. Beautiful but unremarkable.

Hanabi watched them as they ate, their backs ramrod straight as they took small bites and never talked with their mouths full. They did talk- a lot in fact- but the table was too far away to pick up snippets of their conversation. It was just as they were finishing their meal that some cleared their throat. One of the women who'd unceremoniously roused her earlier shook her head disapprovingly before shoving a cup of steaming tea into her hands.

"There is more work that needs to be done. Drink this."

She then crossed her arms and tapped her foot impatiently as she waited for Hanabi to do as she'd been told. The Hyuuga stared at the honey-colored contents of the cup. The fruity vapors wafted up to her nose and almost made her sneeze. She was hungry but not enough to down whatever this was. Hanabi tried to hand the cup back but the woman only clicked her tongue disapprovingly.

"Okaa-san was too lenient with the last girl and she ended up dead. Don't even have a baby to show for the trouble. Drink it all."

Seeing as how the woman's ire was growing the longer she stalled, Hanabi raised the cup to her lips and drank. It was almost clawingly sweet and unlike any tea she'd had before but she drank until it was gone and the woman took the cup in a flash. To her right, two servants passed with trays of cups and teapots that wafted the same heady aroma of the tea she'd just drank. The smell of it made her want to vomit.

As a broom was thrust into her now free hands Hanabi made a mental note to _not_ drink the tea tomorrow.

 _ **…..**_

The lives of Anko's girls were split into three spheres. The youngest three were kept occupied with reading and writing, cloistered off for as long as they could keep their attention. Those closure to her own age practice an entire myriad of tasks from speaking to walking to arts of all kinds. The older women- and arguably the most fascinating- perfected their craft.

Hanabi peeped through the gap in the shoji door as she watched the women practice their instruments. It was a cacophony of different sounds, all songs explicitly chosen for each of them. There was no discernable tune that stood out amongst them but it was still fascinating to watch pale fingers pluck strings in a similar fashion to how she might knock her bow.

Hanabi sighed and unconsciously stretched her fingers. She itched to have her bow back in her hands.

"Aren't you supposed to be working?"

At the sound of Anko's voice, Hanabi nearly jumped a foot in the air. Somehow she managed to outwardly appear nonpulsed as she turned around to sheepishly grin at her new employer.

"I was just sweeping okaa-san." She said, gesturing the chore with her broom for added effect.

Anko narrowed her eyes and looked down her nose.

"Sweeping. Sure. Follow me. I have more need of you than this already swept floor."

Hanabi blushed as the woman turned away in a rush of expensive silks and smoke. So far, she was not making a good impression on her new employer. Quickly, she scampered after the woman and followed her through the winding halls of the teahouse until they came to a cramped room not unlike her father's office. Stacked high were scrolls, some sealed and others not. Piles of coins sat near an abacus, a detailed ledger half completed was adjacent. There were so many words and numbers on the paper that it made Hanabi's eyes cross just to glance at it.

"The Chrysanthemum throne…" she said absently.

"So you _do_ read?" Anko remarked and Hanabi stiffened.

It was not polite to stare or snoop and she seemed to have developed a habit of doing both. Anko was not offended however and merely waved a hand at a pile of scrolls in the corner.

"Over there are past correspondences to the okiya. Separate them by clan title."

Hanabi stiffly nodded, grateful to have something to do that was actually useful. Setting down her broom on the tatami, she sat beside the pile and unfurled the nearest scroll only far enough to see the clan seal.

 _ **Akamichi**_

The name rang a faint bell but wasn't too familiar. If she'd paid better attention during her lessons with Ko she might actually have known who they were. If she'd been any good at studying _at all_ she likely would still be at the Compound.

 _'Some matriarch I turned out to be.'_ Hanabi thought, a tinge of guilt tugging at her heart.

Sighing, she divided the scrolls diligently. Some clans like the Inuzuka were frequent customers while others like the Aburame may have only visited a handful of times. If there was anything she'd gleaned from the scrolls though it was that this teahouse was very popular. It was so popular that one name in particular kept reappearing.

 _ **Danzo.**_

No clan title or any other distinction was tied to the name yet how could he afford to be a repeat customer? From the pile of coins that Anko was counting this place was not cheap. As his name kept popping up her curiosity got the better of her and she unfurled a scroll just a little lower than she should have-

"Peeking are you?" Anko mused and Hanabi snapped the scroll shut.

The older woman simply smirked and rested her chin on her fist.

"Did you find something of interest?"

"Danzo." Hanabi blurted, covering her mouth as soon as his name slipped from her tongue.

It felt wrong to even utter. Her distaste for the name must have shone clearly on her face because Anko's smirk broadened into a full smile.

"It appears that Danzo's reputation precedes him." She chuckled. "Tell me, is he the reason you and your brother are on the streets?"

Hanabi shook her head. She'd never heard the name Danzo in her life it just felt…off.

"I just…I was wondering how he could afford so many…visits."

Tea most certainly was not that interesting.

"The day Danzo can't afford my services is the day hell freezes over." Anko clarified with a knowing look that Hanabi couldn't quite decipher. "But Danzo's finances are not what really piques your curiosity. You want to know why. To tell you the truth he's never darkened my doorstep or any of the other teahouses for that matter. Just his money and people he wishes to influence."

"Influence?"

Anko nodded, her own ledger forgotten as she thoroughly enjoyed having the Hyuuga's attention.

"The lives of men boom and bust within these walls. I've had the privilege of seeing to their rise and fall myself on occasion. I'm sure the other places around here have had their share of political dabbling but we are the best."

"But this is just a teahouse." Hanabi blurted out, Itachi's words pulling at the back of her mind as Anko rolled her eyes.

' _A teahouse does not just sell tea.'_

"You can't be this dense can you? Do you know the power that lies with a woman? It's a comfort that men seek, that they think they can control but they can't. At least not when a woman recognizes the power she holds. A whisper here- a helpful suggestion there. Entire nations can crumble because of the words of a woman."

Hanabi snorted disbelievingly.

"So this Danzo guy just sends you money and people he wants to 'influence'? That's all?"

"That's all."

"Why?"

"Why indeed." Anko replied smoothly. "You have a lot of questions for a street girl."

"I'm not a- I mean I'm just curious is all." Hanabi said, catching herself before she dug a deeper hole.

"Curiosity can get you killed but I'm sure you know that. Finish up with those quickly, it's almost time to get ready for tonight."

 _ **….**_

 _ **The Twenty-Seventh Fall of the Karasu**_

 _ **Umeno Okiya**_

 _ **...**_

When Itachi returned to the attic room there was a single lump of wax- a poor excuse for a candle-struggling to remain lit. A wiser person would have blown it out long ago but the Hyuuga was not known for being judicious.

' _No._ ' Itachi smirked as he took in the sight before him. _'She certainly isn't.'_

She was sitting upright, her head bobbing as she fought the sleep that she sorely needed. At her side was a bowl of rice and vegetables that had long grown cold and likely the expectation that he'd return sooner than the dead of night. Although he felt a bit guilty for her waiting up it was no less an amusing sight.

Despite his weariness from the day's activities, he crossed the short space into the room and scoops the Hyuuga up into his arms. To his chagrin, she is much too light. Her lack of weight reminded him once more of how much she struggled at his side. He had a half a mind to leave her just as his father had and carry on with or without the necessary preparations to the capital. If he were a smarter man he would but…

"Mmm Itachi…" Hanabi mumbled tiredly, her eyes struggling to open. "You're back."

' _I am a fool.'_

"Go to sleep." He instructed and by the time he laid her on the futon she was.

Though unconscious she still clung to the front of his yukata, unwilling to let him go far. She had waited up most of the night for him after all. Part of him wondered if she would be this eager had she known how many people he killed today. How many people he'd stolen from.

However a more substantial part of him was too tired to analyze further. It was rare that he ever felt enough fatigue that sleep found him. So he laid down on the floor beside her futon and her fingers finally let him go.

Itachi then closed his eyes and none of the blood from the day followed him. Something else does however but he doesn't realize it until hours later when the pale light of morning shines through the small dingy window. Half on her futon, half on the floor and pressed into his side was Hanabi snoring away without a care in the world.

He should push her away onto her own futon.

He should rise and start yet another day of observing from the shadows and taking what he could.

Instead, he closed his eyes and pretended that for once he had nothing that he should do.

 _ **….**_

 _ **The Sixteenth Fall of the Suzume**_

 _ **Umeno Okiya**_

 _ **...**_

Three days had passed in the okiya. Three dawns and three sunsets. They had been there long enough that the early mornings and late nights were beginning to feel like a routine. It remained a feat for her to get out of bed but there were rewards for her efforts. The first of which was seeing Itachi before he left for the day. She didn't know what he got up to during daylight hours but his pockets always jingling when he returned. It was odd but she didn't question it.

The other reward was not being rudely awoken by the older servants. In fact, if she made it down to the kitchens before them she got to pick her own duties and avoid those women and their oppressively fruity tea entirely. At the moment she found herself sweeping the front walkway of the okiya- freeing it of fall debris. Her efforts were halfhearted at best since she was really just biding her time for breakfast to be over.

"Do not get side-tracked! Do not stop!" Anko's muffled voice called from inside of the teahouse.

A second later eight girls filed out in an orderly fashion wearing matching green yukata. Hanabi watched amusedly as they bowed to the front door before taking off at a breakneck sprint. They giggled while their geta clopped against the stone and chased each other off to where they went for school. She watched them until they were well out of sight, her fingers tightening against the wood of her broom just slightly.

' _I might have enjoyed learning with friends.'_

Albeit the things that those girls learned was vastly different from her curriculum in the compound. She'd been taught all of the necessary subjects needed to become a respectable matriarch. How to read and how to write and how to recite the clan's history backward and forwards. Learning how to dance or play an instrument was frivolous and was of no benefit to the Hyuuga Matriarch. Then again... so was learning how to fight.

Hanabi sighed and resumed her work. She missed being with her clan but strangely enough she missed the Uchiha encampment more. She missed her bow and the satisfying sound an arrow made as it whizzed through the air. She missed her fellow archers and her noisy tentmates. She even missed Shisui's lame jokes. She missed it all…

"Daydreaming little sparrow?" a deep voice asked and Hanabi whirled around in surprise.

The owner of the voice loomed over her and an unsettling feeling bubbled in her gut. It told her to run away but she remained frozen. He was like no other man she'd seen native to Konoha with his darker skin and tight-lipped smiled. Hanabi lowered her head, gave a stiff bow, and tried to take her leave but he grabbed her wrist and stopped her from doing so. She looked up at him, startled that he would dare to touch a woman he didn't know. The stranger's smile widened as he looked at him, a knowing twinkle in his eye.

"Well look what we have here. What is a _Hyuuga_ doing so far from home?"

 _ **To be continued…**_

 _Fire under the ash_

 _and written on the wall_

 _the shadow of a friend_

 ** _(Basho)_**


	39. Chapter 39

**CCNote:** **This will be the last Hanabi and Itachi chapter for a good minute so enjoy. We will come back to them later. Expect a new chapter this afternoon.**

 _Fire under the ash_

 _and written on the wall_

 _the shadow of a friend_

 ** _(Basho)_**

 **The Suzume and Kumo**

 _ **The Twenty-Seventh Fall of the Karasu**_

 _ **Umeno Okiya**_

 _ **...**_

Itachi sighed heavily as he counted the coins he'd amassed over the last three days. It was enough to buy one horse and no supplies- not precisely the haul he'd been hoping for. Cut off from the economic hub that was the capital and too far from the coast to do much trade this city was poor. It was only kept afloat by the entertainment it provided to travelers and politicians seeking to ignore their problems for a night. Those who lived within the confines of the village were barely scraping out a living from the dirt.

Still, it was better than nothing. Maybe in a day or two- no they needed to leave now. Three days here had been a long enough delay.

"My, my that's quite the haul you have there."

Itachi looked up from the small collection of coins he'd created on the futon to where Anko leaned in the doorway of the attic. He could have sworn the door was locked but it was likely that she had the key to open it. Without showing his irritation on his face, Itachi stood and nodded in deference to his _most gracious_ host.

"Mitsurashi-san." He said and the woman smirked.

"So formal. I do apologize for not having a chance to visit you before now. Taking care of a house full of girls is hard work you know."

"I can imagine."

"Although I thought I'd make room in my schedule to see how you were doing- especially with all the rumors going around." Anko said slyly as she walked into the room.

She scanned the area though there was not much to look at besides a rumpled futon and himself.

"I thought that I'd warn you since you're new to the area."

"Warn me?" Itachi replied skeptically, refraining from stiffening as she invaded his personal space and touched his chest.

His indifference to her presence only made her come closer, flicking imaginary dirt from the front of his yukata.

"Some call him a murderer or a thief, others a vigilante. They say he corners men in the dark and robs them blind. They say he takes their money and their souls. You wouldn't happen to know anything about that, would you?" Anko asked though it came off as more of a statement. "Surely as a 'big brother' you can understand how having someone like that roaming the streets is a bit unsettling to a woman?"

"Of course."

"If someone like that got close to the okiya wouldn't that spell danger for my girls? I shiver at the thought. I'd especially hate for you to get hurt by him."

Unfazed Itachi stood, staring the woman down until she stepped away. Anko knew. How she did was a mystery but the facts remained the same. He and Hanabi needed to leave. Tonight. The dark-haired woman opened her mouth to say more but she never got the chance. An older woman rushed into the doorway, white hair frazzled and struggling to catch her breath.

"Okaa-san! They're here." She panted and Anko's face turned from one of seduction to seriousness.

" _Who_ is here?"

"The Cloud Commander! He came on behalf of his men. He's demanding an audience with you and he wants that girl."

"What? Which girl? They're all off to school and not ready to entertain."

The older woman looked warily between Itachi and Anko before gulping down air.

"That new servant girl."

 _'Hanabi.'_

At this Anko stiffened and turned back to him with a plastered on smile.

"It appears as though your sister will be of more use to me after all."

"If a vigilante is a 'danger' to your okiya wouldn't an invading officer be even moreso?" he asked though he kept his voice impassive.

Itachi frowned and crossed his arms over his chest.

"You and your sister are both too dense for your own good. No visitor crosses this threshold that I have not already approved of for my own reasons." Anko smirked and moved to leave the room. "Be a dear now and keep your bloody business away from my doorstep."

 _ **…**_

 _ **The Sixteenth Fall of the Suzume**_

 _ **Umeno Okiya**_

 _ **...**_

This morning she'd intended to fill her days with chores and pilfered food. She might have expected to sneak glances at the women practicing their craft and watch the younger girls play in the garden when they returned from school. If she were lucky, she might have even happened upon Anko who was always exciting company.

 _"Daydreaming little sparrow?"_

However, now she found herself being scrubbed from head to toe in a milky, scented bath with all of the women in Anko's repertoire that were of age. Even the girls that had not yet fulfilled their training to become maiko were there though not as nervous as she was. Hanabi shivered as warm water was poured over her body and her limbs yanked so that they could be properly scrubbed.

 _"What is a Hyuuga doing so far from home?"_

His face half-covered with bandages flashed through her mind and sent a shiver down her spine.

 _'Who is that man? How does he know my clan?_ '

Mechanically she allowed them to push and pull at her until they were satisfied with her state of cleanliness. Although she would never entirely be clean enough. She was admonished for the dirt under her nails and callouses on her hands. What kind of girl allowed herself to wither away so young?

Once finished with the bath, she was carted away from everyone else to the servants quarters to be dressed. The other girls had their beauty rituals and tools to prepare themselves. She did not. Why she needed to be prepared in the first place. She had no idea who that man was but he certainly knew her.

"Stand here girl." One of the old ladies ordered with an absent wave at a stool.

Hanabi did as she was told and was immediately descended upon by the other women in the room. They removed her thin robe and bound her chest tightly so any shape she did have would vanish under all the layers she would soon wear. The cool silk was a new sensation against smooth skin and made her shiver despite the warmth of the room. Layer after layer was mounted upon her. Tie after tie was tightened to the point that it was a struggle to move properly.

The unfamiliar weight on her body was unsettling but nowhere near as irritating as the black hairpiece they put on her head to cover up her short brown locks. It was itchy and hot and contained so many ornaments it hurt to keep her neck upright. How did anyone wear this on a regular night?

Hanabi desired nothing more than to rip the damnable thing off her head but that came with the risk of pulling out her own hair. Why was she doing this? She wasn't going to get any money out of this encounter since she wasn't a 'real' geisha but that man had insisted and Anko agreed.

Longingly she eyed the door to the room. It wouldn't take much effort to escape. She was faster than the other women. If she ran fast enough, she might be able to barricade herself in until Itachi came back. He wouldn't make her go through this. He would tell them to stop right? The escape idea seemed more and more enticing every moment that passed- especially since the older women had turned their backs to prepare the second layer of wax and white powder for her face.

 _'It's now or never.'_ Hanabi thought as she quietly shuffled awkwardly towards the door and held her breath.

As soon as she was in the doorway, she made a break for the stairs, ignoring the shouts of the women behind her. What did they know anyway? They weren't the ones being poked and prodded and painted!

When Hanabi arrived at the attic room, she flung the door open and nearly stumbled through. Surprisingly though she was not alone, Itachi was there with his eyes shifting from alarm at an intruder to concern. Hanabi quickly slammed the door behind her and locked it. It was only a matter of time before the women came to collect her. In the next instant, Hanabi flung herself at Itachi, wrapping her arms around his neck and burying her face in the crook of his neck and shoulder.

He didn't smell like the overly perfumed bath she'd just endured or the makeup that threatened to make her sneeze. He smelled like the earth and the moments just before she woke up. He was safety.

"Hanabi- what are you doing here?" Itachi asked and pushing her down so she could stand on her own two feet.

"There's a man here." Hanabi said, doing her best to keep her voice steady as she explained. "He knows me Itachi. He knew who I was immediately-"

"Hanabi, you must listen to me carefully and do exactly as I order." Itachi interrupted, pulling on the black ribbon that normally kept his long hair tied back and set it free. "Feet apart, don't move till I finish."

He then pulled a dagger from the inside fold of his yukata. How he'd managed to procure such a weapon she had no idea but it made her feel safer to see it. Kneeling before her, he pulled apart the many layers of her kimono until he reached her skin. Once there, he placed the cold dagger on the inside of her upper thigh and proceeded to secure it with the ribbon. He wrapped it around twice, the cold steel press firmly into her skin. If she wasn't careful she could knick herself. When he finished, he put the layers back over her legs and smoothed to silk down. No one but they would know that she carried something so dangerous. Rising to his feet, Itachi spoke again.

"That man is the leader of the Cloud army. While he and his men are being entertained, this is the perfect time to gain information on their plans. What they know and what they don't. Most importantly, we need to know why they are invading Konoha. I will do as much as I can on my end but you will have the best access to him. Take him out. Without a leader their forces will be confused and that will buy us more time."

Killing someone with a bow and arrow was one thing. Fighting a man three times her size and in close quarters was another. She wanted to tell him no. She longed to run away but she wouldn't. This was a way that she could be useful to him…a way for her to prove herself. Steeling her nerves, she nodded her head. For a moment the hard look of the Commander cracked and he was nothing more than Itachi but he quickly regained his composure.

"No mistakes."

"Yes...Commander."

At this, the corner of his mouth twitched in an almost smirk and his hand came up to push some of her hair behind her ear. His hand lingered, cupping her cheek as if he'd done it a thousand times before. The older women would be mad that she smudged her white makeup but she couldn't care less. The warmth and security he gave off was worth a scolding.

"You look more like a woman today." He said and Hanabi scoffed, unconsciously leaning into his hand.

"I'd rather look like a warrior."

With that, she reluctantly pulled away from him and turned her back. If they were going to deliver a blow to the enemy she had to finish getting ready. Tonight was a different type of battle. One that only she could win and… with the biting steel of the blade on her thigh…

She would make no mistakes.

 ** _..._**

 ** _The Twenty-Seventh Fall of the Karasu_**

 ** _Umeno Okiya_**

 ** _..._**

The scene was reminiscent of the first time he'd spied on the enemy forces but this time it was village-wide. All of the bars were lit up and restaurants had extended their hours. The pleasure district was teeming with life and any teahouse worth its merit was full. Anko's okiya, in particular, was the jewel of the city. Several of the Cloud's generals and their high ranking underlings were enjoying all that was to offer. The food was plentiful, the sake never stopped flowing, and the geisha were attentive.

Itachi frowned as he peeked through the panels of an empty adjoining room. It was far too easy to spy on them. One would have thought that they would be more alert this far into the mainland but alas they weren't. If anything they behaved as if there were no battles still left to fight. As if Konoha and all its people had been promised to them before they'd even set foot on its shores.

"Oi they make them different here don't they?" the man who's back was closest to Itachi said. Beside him, his friend clapped him on his back.

"That they do. Too thin."

"They'd blow away with the first storm!"

The men laughed raucously at their joke, adding to the din of their comrades. The two geisha in their company demurred and refilled their drinks as if they hadn't said a word. Tearing his eyes away from the scene, Itachi scanned the room for Hanabi and the Commander of the Cloud forces. He had managed to peek into most of the other large dining areas but there had been no sight of her. A pang of unsettling guilt pulled at the back of his mind but he pushed it away. Hanabi would be able to take care of herself. She deserved his respect and trust in that aspect.

On the far side of the room, the large shoji doors opened to reveal Anko in full regalia sans pipe and a smile that lowered the volume of the room. She outshone her girls effortlessly with lingering looks at a few lucky men and a graceful bow to the room.

"My sincerest apologies at the intrusion but I'm afraid we must leave you momentarily to prepare a special performance. Our okiya's famous fan dance." She said and her geisha slowly rose to their feet and took their leave of their partners.

When they followed Anko out of the room, the volume did not resume. Instead, a hush fell over them as one of the Generals stood up with a half-full bottle of sake and a face flushed from overconsumption.

"This is the finest group of warriors I have ever had the pleasure of marching beside." He began and the men chuckled amiably. "Our fallen brothers, our fathers, our comrades may have been slighted but we heard the call and took up arms!"

"Aye!" the men cheered, pounding on the table with rising excitement.

"The people of Konoha are tired of an unjust ruler as well. While they starve and die in the streets, their leaders do nothing!"

"Aye!"

"We are the heralds of change my brothers! They won't know what hit them till the streets run red with their blood. Only then will they realize their mistakes!"

At this, the room erupted into cheers and shouts. These raucous celebrations were punctuated by men emptying the nearest glass of sake and slamming it against the tables. Itachi frowned and moved away from the gap in the door. These men were nothing more than pathetic upstarts bent on revenge from the last campaign. One would have thought that after such a resounding defeat they would have taken longer to lick their wounds. Instead, they allied with the Sand and brought the fight to Konoha's shores. It was of no matter to him. They would not make it to another dawn, let alone the rest of Konoha.

Itachi reached for the lantern he'd been using for light and crossed over to the far side of the empty room to leave. Before departing, he tossed the lantern into the center of the room and watched as the tatami quickly took to the flame. In their sake induced state it would be a while before they smelled the smoke. By that point, it would be too late.

 _'One room down. The rest of the okiya to go.'_

 _ **...**_

 _ **The Sixteenth Fall of the Suzume**_

 _ **Umeno Okiya**_

 _ **...**_

The Cloud Commander was larger when inside of an enclosed space- a space which allowed for only one way in and one way out. The paranoid man had requested a room far away from the merriment of his men. A room without any windows or doors to the outside. Hanabi found all of his requests to Anko even more annoying than the stifling layers of silk she wore. Frowning, she watched silently as the man finished off his sake before handing her his cup for more. Just how much did he plan to drink tonight? Shouldn't a man of his stature have more composure when invading a foreign land?

"What are you thinking so hard about little sparrow?" he asked, snapping Hanabi from her thoughts.

"Nothing." She replied and proceeded to pour him a refill, rotating the bottle just so as she did. Not a drop spilled.

"My…you pour so well…almost like a lady. How can a servant girl be so well trained?" He snickered and Hanabi bit the inside of her cheek. "You sit so straight as well and I can't even hear you breathe."

No matter how long she'd been away from the Compound, some habits persisted. Unexpectedly, the Cloud Commander reached out and grabbed her hand. His large palm completely swallowed her own and she had to resist the innate urge to jerk away. He brought her hand closer to him and flipped it palm side up. Large fingers caressed her palm and made her shiver.

"You might act like a lady and look like a lady but these are the hands of a man. How did you manage such a feat little sparrow?"

He then dipped his head and kissed the center of her palm. At this Hanabi finally pulled her hand from his grasp- a strange feeling of disgust bubbling in the pit of her stomach. Never had she allowed a man to touch her in a such a way and it made her sick. Mentally though she cursed herself. She was supposed to be gathering information for Itachi and so far she was doing a shit job at it. What kind of man said anything to a woman who was repulsed by him? The Cloud Commander, on the other hand, found her resistance amusing. He raised his sake saucer to his smirking lips and downed the contents in one go.

"Tell me sir…" Hanabi said evenly as she refilled his cup. "Kumo is a long way from Konoha."

"That it is." he replied. "Though it will not remain that way for long. You will forget that this land was ever named Konoha in time."

Hanabi gulped and tried to keep her face impassive. She could not let him know how alarmed she was by his words. Instead she looked up at him curiously and cocked her head to the side.

"How could something like that happen?" she asked and the man chuckled deeply.

"You people in Konoha are a cocky bunch. Don't worry little sparrow, you might not have been there to witness your clan's downfall but you will be here for this."

Hanabi glared at his insinuation about her clan and set the bottle of sake down on the table a bit too hard. The man sensed her discomfort and his grin widened as he reached out to stroke her painted cheek.

"There's that Hyuuga pride in your eyes. You are your father's daughter after all. Your pride will be your downfall as well."

The Cloud Commander then grabbed the sake bottle and drank it straight with alarming speed. When he finished it off he sighed, face flushed as he gazed lecherously at her.

"Would you like to know how your clan fell?"

 _….The Cloud General smirked as the white-eyed Hyuuga bustled silently but efficiently-all of whom were prepared to fulfill his needs._

 _He'd never seen such a cloistered off clan before and found their stiffness- their strict traditions and mindsets to boot- to be amusing. Across from him, the head of the Hyuuga clan calmly sipped his tea. Hiashi- he believed his name was. Hiashi was the hardest of all the Hyuuga he'd encountered during his short visit. Making trades with him was not easy even when his terms-in his humble opinion-were quite generous. The elders were quite amicable with his deals however and on quite a few trades the Hyuuga head had had to concede. Now they were at the end of their negotiations and all talk of business was done for now._

 _Ever the gracious host, Hiashi had offered him tea overlooking his garden and although the Cloud Commander prepared something stronger he'd accepted. Suppressing a sigh, he sipped his tea and just when he thought he'd die of boredom soft footsteps approached them from behind. He turned around to see the source of the sound and was met with a sight interesting enough to make the entire trip worth it. More specifically, a girl on the cusp of womanhood._

 _She stood timidly in the doorway, a pink blush on her cheeks and wide eyes that were surprised to see a room full of people. Those eyes were pale just like the rest of her clan but there was a hint of lavender within their depths and a softness none of the elders or Hiashi possessed. Of course, that could be due to the fact that she was young and not hardened by the ways of the world like they were. Nervously entered the room and bowed before them, her dark bangs obscuring her downcast eyes from view when she rose. All of her movements were at the verge of being something graceful. With time she would grow into a beautiful woman-the likes of which he had never seen in the Cloud._

 _"Otou-san." The girl said, her voice barely above a whisper. In response, Hiashi lowered his teacup to its saucer and stood up. Without so much as a parting word or glance, the Hyuuga Head swept out of the room with his laughter trailing behind him._

 _"So that is his daughter?" the Cloud General said when the shoji door closed behind them. The elders puffed up with a bit with pride._

 _"His eldest." the most senior Hyuuga elder replied shortly._

 _The Cloud General smirked and took a sip of his horrid tea._

 _"She's quite the beauty. I did not expect something so delicate to be wrought from a man as formidable as your leader."_

 _The compliments were laid on thick but they had the desired effect. Without Hiashi there to temper their pride, they were most susceptible to flattery. Part of what had gotten him so far in his military career was his ability to read people. That and his skill with a blade but that was an unnecessary tool at the moment. Words could cut just as sharply._

 _"Hinata-sama is in her seventeenth winter and becoming as beautiful as her mother each turn of the season."_

 _"So tell me. Does Hiashi keep everyone under lock and key like his daughter? In my ignorance I was unaware that he even had a child."_

 _His bait was set._

 _"Hiashi may be our head but we are the neck that turns him."_

 _Bait taken._

 _"And I suppose your branch members are the hands and feet?"_

 _He let out a casual laugh but the elders tensed. The subjugation of more than half the clan was a sensitive topic. A male branch member stiffened at his words- a motion that went unnoticed by the elders but not by him._

 _"The main house and branch families have lived together for generations while other clans tear themselves from the inside out."_

 _"I mean no offense. As someone without a Clan, I suppose your way of doing things is understandable. I commend you on your dedication to peace and stability." He continued. "I would also imagine that you need protection from outsiders."_

 _The elders bristled but he had their undivided attention. Perfect._

 _"On my way here, I encountered countless thieves and sellswords. They talk of you as if you are mythical. White eyes that can see all. They say your lives are limitless and you speak in a strange tongue that is not of this world. All baseless rumors of course. Anyone with eyes can see you are human."_

 _At his tale, the elders rolled their eyes and chuckled amongst each other._

 _"History likes to repeat itself especially among the curious."_

 _"This is true and your walls only add to the mystery of it." He said lightly but dropping his voice to a low tone as he continued. " I do know that one day there will be some curious enough- ambitious enough- to climb those walls. What then? How will you protect yourselves from outsiders? What about insiders who want to escape?"_

 _"We have all the protection we need." the elder sniffed, narrowing his pale eyes. "Hinata will be leaving in the morning to her betrothed Uchiha Itachi. If we were ever in need of assistance our alliance is strong enough to ask for help should the need arise."_

 _At the name Uchiha the hair on the back of his neck rose. The damn Uchiha were intercepting their ocean trade routes and stymying their economy. Why they decided to pick a fight with his people he didn't know nor care. They were just bloodthirsty men looking to pick a fight. All that concerned him was stopping them before the damage went too far which was why he was trying to build alliances right here in Konoha. Alliances could be wrought through trade but also marriage and the Hyuuga just shown him a prime candidate. He was not one for the institution of marriage but he wouldn't mind having Hyuuga Hinata to keep his bed warm and her clan's money to fill his pockets._

 _No he wouldn't mind that at all..._

 _"I see but how long do you think it would take for that help to arrive? By the time they get here it could be too late. Besides the strength of the Uchiha name is waning."_

 _The elders looked at one another, the cogs in their heads turning at his words. What better way to undermine the Uchiha than to steal his future bride? It didn't take them long to piece together what he was asking but the eldest man spoke anyway._

 _"Hinata's marriage to Uchiha Itachi can not be altered." He said firmly. "However her younger sister is unpromised."_

 _The Cloud Commander had to stop himself from rolling his eyes. He didn't wish to attach himself to some lesser Hyuuga and have any children he sired destined for a lower life in the branch house. Besides the fact that the girl was unspoken for meant that her looks likely left much to be desired-_

 _"In three years time she will be of age and..." the elder continued and the Cloud Commander smiled. "With no sons to speak of she will be named the heiress of the clan."_

 _Now they were talking…._

Hanabi flinched as the Cloud Commander leaned closer to her and dipped his head so his nose could brush against her jaw. His story had shaken her to her core. The elders had tried to marry her off as a bargaining chip-swallowing his words wholesale. It was no wonder her father had been so insistent that she marry Neji. He was trying to protect her.

"Tell me little sparrow. Why did you leave your cage?" he asked in a low voice. "You were supposed to be my pet."

"My father made no promises to you." Hanabi countered and the man chuckled.

"Your father was an arrogant man and it has cost him dearly. I don't take a liking to people who try to undermine me."

He then grabbed Hanabi by her shoulders and pushed her onto the ground, his large body covering her own. Frantic, Hanabi shrieked and tried to push him off but to no avail. He backhanded her so hard that she bit her tongue and blood filled her mouth. As struggled fat fingers tugged her obi loose and threw open her first layer.

No.

"Scream all you want little sparrow."

Tears pricked at the corner of her eyes as he tore open the second layer. She bucked her hips and tried to throw him off but he was too heavy. Though she tried to claw at his face the older servants had clipped her nails.

No.

At the sight of her tears, the Cloud Commander drunkenly laughed and rubbed the moisture away.

"Are you crying for your father to protect you again? Too bad he can't do that from his grave."

Hanabi froze at the news. Dead. Her father was _dead_.

He was dead.

He was dead.

He was dead.

The man who had looked at her with nothing but pride in his eyes. The man who she admired most in this world. The man who had tried to protect her but she'd selfishly spit on his efforts and ran away was… _dead_.

That fact made her numb to everything. She didn't feel when the stiff collar of her kimono was discarded nor the moment that the last layer was torn open. She didn't feel his hands greedily on her breast bindings- eager to remove them. When his efforts to undo them were successful, she barely registered his scoff of disappointment.

"I would have preferred your sister." He teased as he leaned back and proceeded to discard his own clothing.

At the momentary reprieve, what little sense of self-preservation she did have kicked into high gear. The small dagger Itachi had tied to her thigh still bit into her skin and made her more alert.

' _Itachi.'_

Quickly she scrambled away from the Cloud Commander while simultaneously reaching under the layers pooled down her waist for the blade. The man's eyes widened at the dagger she had pointed at him for a moment but then he laughed.

"And what do you expect to do with that little sparrow?"

This man. This disgusting excuse of a man was the reason her father was dead.

"Give me that. You could hurt yourself."

By his own hand or by an order it was his fault her father was dead!

Blinded by rage, Hanabi bit the inside of her cheek to keep from screaming and rushed forward.

 _ **….**_

 _ **The Twenth-Seventh Fall of the Karasu**_

 _ **Umeno Okiya**_

 _ **...**_

He found Hanabi in a smoke-filled room, half-naked and curled in a corner. Pale eyes stared unseeingly at the large body in the center of the room. A body that was currently laying facedown in a pool of its own blood. A surge of pride filled him for he knew that the Cloud Commander had been taken down by Hanabi just as he had ordered. However that pride was quickly washed away and replaced with worry at the Hyuuga's shell shocked state.

Concerned, Itachi stepped over the man towards Hanabi who didn't move when he approached. He was so used to seeing her eyes light up the moment he entered a room that a piece of him broke. He had done this. He had selfishly sent her into this room and for what? Information? A slight against their enemy?

Nothing they might have gained could justify this. Not even the tactical advantage that killing the Cloud Commander gave them. However, Itachi did not have much time to wallow in his own guilt. The okiya was burning around them and they would go up in flames as well if he didn't hurry. Crouching down in front of her, Itachi reached out but she whimpered and leaned back into her corner. Seeing her fear of his touch made his curse the dead man even more.

"Hanabi." He whispered and a spark of recognition returned as he removed his black cloak and draped it over her bare shoulders. "It's just me."

"Itachi?"

The Hyuuga blinked a few times as if she couldn't believe that he'd returned for her. In another instant her arms encircled his neck and her bright red nose pressed against his skin.

"Itachi!" she sobbed and her entire body shook with tears that were finally released.

Although her sudden embrace surprised him, he pulled Hanabi closer, her shaking steadying as he did so. He then picked her up and turned to leave the room. Hanabi clung to him tightly as they left as if he were the only thing tethering her to the earth. She didn't ask him where they were going or what would happen to the dead man they were leaving behind. She didn't question why the hallway was filled with smoke or why above their heads they could hear screaming.

She didn't say _anything_ and that worried Itachi the most.

 ** _To be continued…_**


	40. Chapter 40

**CCNote : The edits for this didn't take as long as I thought! As always don't forget to leave a REVIEW and Enjoy!**

 _When no wind at all_

 _ruffles the Kiri tree_

 _leaves fall_ _of their own will_

 ** _(Basho)_**

 **The Kiri Tree**

 _ **The Twenty-first Fall of the Taka**_

 _ **Imperial City- Uchiha Manor**_

 _ **...**_

It was the first rays of dawn that roused the Uchiha from a dreamless sleep. The crisp breeze of the fall morning blew in through an open window, raising goosebumps on his skin. He had expected to wake up with a headache and guilt but instead felt at peace. Peace was something that always seemed to allude him in favor of turmoil. Peace was something fleeting and fickle and for some reason he could only find it in the slim moments before Hinata woke up.

The woman in question was currently still asleep, her face half-buried in a pillow and obscured by hair. He reached out and pushed the locks out of the way, absently marveling at how warm her skin felt despite the chill in the room. Once her face was free from her hair, he couldn't help but to continue to trace her features.

Her cheeks that were without their trademark blush.

Her lips which he already knew to be soft, were slightly parted in a way that enticed him while awake and asleep.

Lips which managed to drive him mad and soothe him all at the same time. Lips that were his.

Unconsciously he moved closer until his lips brushed against hers. They were compliant under his own and just as sweet as the night before. Though this time the haze of alcohol did not stunt the sensation. Now entirely in control of himself, he was able to relish the feel of her as she stiffened beneath him. As he started to pull away, slim arms slowly snaked around his neck and brought him back down.

She kissed him tentatively as if she were afraid of being rejected. How she could think such a thing was beyond him. His tongue traced the seam of her lips and she gasped in surprise, a move he used to his advantage to explore further. She was a shy, inexperienced kisser but when her tongue met his it sent a shiver down them both. It didn't take long for them to find a rhythm that worked but the need for air took precedence and forced them to part and catch their breath.

"Sasuke." Hinata breathed. "G-Good morning."

The Uchiha didn't respond- at least not verbally. His own face was flushed from the kiss and he had too much pride to allow her to see how much it affected him. Though he was too greedy to abstain from going further. Instead, he pulled at her already loose yukata and exposed her neck. The pale expanse was blemish-free and- on a baser, primal level- invited him to mark it. Without hesitation, he pressed a kiss to the juncture between her shoulder and neck before giving the area a lick.

This earned him a gasp on Hinata's part which emboldened him further. What other sounds could he get her to make? Now that he was sober, he would be able to remember every last one of them. Her neck was a sensitive area but not the last he wished to explore. While she mewled from his nipping, his free hand slipped into her yukata and over her right breast. When she gasped in surprise he bit her. Not too hard but just enough to leave a mark.

Hinata was _his_ and he wanted all who looked upon her to know.

Her breast felt heavy and warm in his palm and when his thumb grazed her nipple she jumped. Instinctively he moved his mouth from her neck to her nipple and she moaned in response. A combination of teeth and tongue had her arching into his mouth and fingers threaded through his hair. He relished the feeling of her nails against his scalp and the way she pulled at his hair. Switching from her right breast to her left, he moved his leg to part her own. He could feel the warm heat of her core on his knee as her legs tentatively spread for him.

The last time they had sex she had not been this warm or this accepting of his touch. This time he was determined not to repeat his errors. Slowly he released Hinata's breast and rose up enough to meet her eyes. She blushed and stared back at him confused for a moment. Just a moment before she seemed to understand what he wanted.

Embarrassed she leaned up on her forearms and pressed a short kiss to his lips- giving him the permission he needed to proceed. Slowly he cupped her center with his hand and a shiver ran down his spine. How often had he daydreamed about this? How many times had he awoken in the middle of the night because of this woman? This, however, was not a dream. It was real and when he parted her lower lips to insert a finger there was no denying it. She whimpered at his insertion but that quickly turned into a moan when he added another and began slowly thrusting.

Sasuke watched amusedly as pleasure flitted over Hinata's usually angelic features. How her mouth gasped his name and with time asked for more. So he gave it in the form of his thumb on her clit and was rewarded with eyes that nearly rolled into the back of her head. While he fingered her his lips found their way back to her breasts which he felt guilty for neglecting. As he sucked she grew tighter, squeezing his fingers and urging him on. Although he'd never been one to care about a woman's pleasure before he took immense satisfaction at making Hinata cry out. Pulling his fingers out completely, he focused rubbing her clit until her back arched off the bed.

"Sasuke!" she gasped before falling back into a heap and he knew he'd done a good job by the glistening between her thighs...

She was impossibly wet for him now, her body twitching from the orgasm that had coursed through her body. An orgasm that he had wrought forth. Sasuke looked at his wet fingers, the evidence of Hinata's desire was coated there and something inside of him wondered what it tasted like. That, however, was a discovery for another day. For now he could not wait a second longer to be inside of her or he would surely go mad.

Positioning himself between her legs, he took only a second to marvel at just how beautiful she looked naked and staring at him with those eyes. Half lidded and lust-filled. He pressed his tip against her entrance and a bit of her snapped back to reality. It took everything in him to wait but when she gave him a tentative nod he pushed all the way in. The action stretched her and made her cry out- freezing him in place once he was hilt deep. Fearing that he'd hurt her Sasuke tried to pull out but Hinata wrapped her arms around his neck and kept him in place.

"Hinata-" he started but she shook her head from where buried it in his neck.

"Just…just move please."

He was skeptical about continuing but he did so slowly. The sensation was more than anything he'd experienced before. Warm and wet and impossibly tight. Every time he moved she gripped him and threatened to make him cum more quickly than he wanted to. That was something he didn't want to do. Not yet. But as he picked up his pace her hips began to meet his thrust for thrust. Gasps turned to moans. His name spilled from her lips and she urged him to go faster.

She wanted more. She wanted him.

That fact alone sent him over the edge and he came with a suddenness that was entirely unexpected. He squeezed his eyes closed and buried his face in her neck, her pussy gripping him too tightly. It was in that moment he realized he would never get tired of this feeling and it was all her fault.

"Kami, Hinata."

 _….._

 ** _The Twentieth Fall of the Hato_**

 ** _Imperial City- Uchiha District_**

 ** _..._**

Being awoken in such a way was not what she expected after the events of last night though it wasn't bad. In fact…it was one of the best ways she'd ever greeted a new day. Was she wrong for feeling this way? Perhaps but being with Sasuke so intimately made it hard to think straight.

It made her _strange._

There was no other way to describe it. Their limbs tangled beneath the sheets and his heartbeat lazily matching her own made her reluctant to leave their bed. _Their_ bed. Hinata blushed at the thought and buried her face into Sasuke's side. Was she shameless and silly? The way that sex had been described to her was nothing like what had transpired. She'd always thought of it as a duty to her husband. A necessary burden on the way to creating a child as per her responsibility to the clan.

Yet the way he had made her toes curl felt nothing like a burden.

The dull throb between her legs was surprisingly welcome and, in the back of her mind, she didn't want it to go away. She didn't want any of this to go away. However, as they laid together her post-coital bliss dissipated and other more pressing matters to attend to. Namely a certain note that she'd intended to pass on to him the night before. Reluctantly, Hinata sat up and wrapped one of their many sheets around herself in order to regain some modicum of modesty. She could feel Sasuke watching her intently as she did so but she didn't acknowledge his attention. If she did she would never get out of the bed.

Stepping away from the futon she made her way over to the low lying table where she'd placed the note from Ino inside of a small, innocuous box. It was so unbelievable that she'd seen Ino the night before that she almost felt as if she'd dreamed the entire encounter. Yet when she opened the box, the note still sat in the bottom waiting for it's intended. What could be transcribed inside would likely end the peace that enveloped the room but it had to be done.

Sai and Ino had Shisui.

Not only that, they had information that Sasuke desperately needed. No matter how content she was at the moment, there were more important things. Biting her lower lip, Hinata turned back to the bed where Sasuke had propped himself up on his forearms. The way his brows knitted together told her that he knew something was wrong. Taking a few deep breaths to calm her nerves, Hinata crossed the room and sat down beside him.

"Last night Ino came to the Manor." She said and Sasuke looked at her mildly surprised.

"That was your attendant who ran away. Our men looked for her for weeks. Why would she turn up now?"

"Well she says that she knows where Shisui is-"

"Shisui-" Sasuke started, now sitting up straight with a half a mind to get out of the bed and hunt Ino down himself.

Hinata stopped him by pressing the note she received against his chest.

"She also gave me this. We should read it first before we do anything."

Mechanically Sasuke nodded and took the note. He quickly unfolded the parchment to reveal a short missive inside:

 _When no wind at all_

 _ruffles the Kiri tree_

 _leaves fall of their own will…_

"What is this supposed to mean?" Sasuke asked, his eyes scanning the message repeatedly.

Hinata took it from his grasp and read it for herself, flipping it over just to be sure that nothing was written on the back. Nothing more than the hurriedly scrawled message was there. Absolutely nothing.

"When no wind at all ruffles the Kiri tree leaves fall of their own will." Hinata mumbled and the pieces slowly fit together. "I think it means for you to do nothing."

"Nothing?"

"Shisui will find you in his own time… _of his own free will…_ Sasuke I think they're going to release him!"

"But why was he captured in the first place? Anyone with any kind of power here knows that he is Itachi's right hand."

As soon as he said those words, he froze and Hinata pieced together everything as well.

"That…that's probably why. It's because he knows too much." She whispered, drawing her knees up to her chest and hugging them.

It was a nagging, paranoid feeling that settled into the pit of her stomach and refused to dissipate. She didn't know much about Shisui outside of the fact that he was always smiling and kind. What sort of threat did he pose to anyone outside of what he knew? If someone was willing and able to harm him that didn't bode well for their own safety.

"Sasuke…I don't think the capital is as safe as we thought."

 _ **…..**_

 _ **The Twenty-first Fall of the Taka**_

 _ **Imperial City- Uchiha Manor**_

 _ **...**_

The day he was meant to meet the Emperor came slowly but guiltily enough Sasuke could not say that he minded too much. As confusing as Hinata could be at times, she was a welcome distraction from all of his problems.

Sighing, he blinked into the pale light of dawn for the day to face everything to come. Sasuke slowly rose to a sitting position and ran a tired hand through his hair-mentally preparing himself for the day ahead. His audience with the Emperor was not one he could squander by getting distracted or forgetting any details. His number one and only priority was getting protection for the Uchiha District.

Glancing to his right, he noted how deeply Hinata continued to sleep, mildly jealous that he could not remain so blissfully unaware. Although she had a reason to sleep in since she had certainly tired him out last night. Who would have thought that a quiet girl could be so loud? Sasuke smirked and proceeded to get ready for the day. He dressed quickly in a simple black hakama with the Uchiha crest boldly embroidered on his back. When he left his room Kakashi was already waiting for him in the hallway.

"I thought I would have had to pry you away this morning." The older man said flatly and Sasuke grunted.

He was not in the mood for Kakashi's quips this morning. Moving away, he ignored the man as he followed him through the house and out into the capital streets.

 _ **…...**_

"Sasuke, you're here!" the Minato said as he rose from his seat. "Look at how much you've grown since the last time I saw you."

"Teno Heika."

Effervescent and affable, the Emperor's attitude towards him had never changed in all of the years Sasuke had been visiting the capital. He was always optimistic and determined traits he passed down to his own son. The difference between the two of them was the wisdom that came from governing a nation which Sasuke feared Naruto may never be ready for.

With a broad smile, the Emperor waved for him to approach his desk where maps of the country were unfurled. Enemy positions had been marked as well as strategies on how to combat them. Imperial units were arranged around the map in a way that kept the invasion far from the capital borders and bubbles of protection were drawn around all of the significant clan lands. It appeared as though the Emperor had been very busy.

"Impressive yes?" Minato grinned. "Nara and his boy were here just before you. They've been strategizing nonstop and this is the plan they've come up with. It shouldn't be necessary since the enemy's forces are smaller compared to ours. With any luck it will only take one engagement on the battlefield to draw them into peace talks. However, I'm concerned about the territory in the East. Look over here-"

"Giving away our strategy already your highness?" a smooth voice droned from the doorway.

Sasuke felt the blood in his veins curdle at the sound. Even though it had been years since the last time he'd ever been in the man's presence his aura was impossible to forget.

And oh how he wished to forget…

"Danzo, you're here early." Minato said, his voice tight and absent of its previous mirth. "I believe the council was scheduled to meet later this evening."

"Some things are just too important to allow me to wait, Tenno Heika." Danzo replied as he stepped into the room.

Stiffly Sasuke waited for the man to cross the room and join them at the Emperor's strategy table. He sounded winded as he moved-old and no longer walking with the same vigor in his step. Men like him typically never saw a day of battle and languished well into a ripe old age. Getting older…that was a luxury neither of his parents had been afforded and it was _all his fault_. Unaware of his inner frustration, Danzo placed a hand on his forearm and grunted.

"It's been awhile Sasuke."

"Hn."

"A man of few words. Just like myself." Danzo smirked. "I can admire a man that doesn't waste air."

"Come now Danzo, give the boy some space. What is your news?" Minato asked and the man in question released Sasuke's arm.

"I'm not sure this kind of thing would be _appropriate_ given the circumstances."

Sasuke frowned at Danzo's subtle dig. He was not a child. He was the head of the Uchiha clan. The spear of the Imperial Army. Whatever Danzo had to say he had a right to hear- especially if it was in regards to the safety of Konoha. When he didn't make a move to depart Danzo's smirk faltered and he turned back to the Emperor.

"A most unfortunate message came to my residence in the early hours of this morning. It appears there has been a great disturbance in Kamishichi. There was a fire." He said and the Emperor cocked his head slightly to the side.

"You came to tell me about a fire?" Minato said with a small frown. "While I do admire your dedication to the affairs of Konoha-"

"Not just any fire your majesty. Half of the pleasure district was burned down due to the uncontrolled blaze."

Sasuke wrinkled his nose with distaste. He knew vaguely of Uma. Of it's freely flowing libations and painted women eager to pour them. He'd heard on occasion that his father had visited that very place before returning to the District and it always set him back a week. If there were fewer brothels in Kamishichi due to a fire it did not feel like a loss to him. The Emperor, on the other hand, was somewhat concerned as his blue eyes narrowed intently.

"Do you think this has anything to do with the invasion?" he asked and Danzo nodded his head.

"It was everything to do with it. In fact, there have been rumors that I did not wish to be true but alas…life does not afford us the luxury of ignorance." Danzo sighed before turning his dark eyes onto Sasuke. "I _hate_ to be the one to tell you this but you should know that your brother is a traitor."

"What?" Sasuke hissed through clenched teeth?

How dare he even say such a thing? Sasuke felt his anger mount at the man so he looked to the Emperor for confirmation that he was lying. Minato avoided his gaze and looked away.

A traitor…Itachi was a traitor… and at the same time he was _alive_. A strange mix of confusion and relief filled the Uchiha's mind- caught between wanting to fight Danzo for his slander and appreciate his confirmation that Itachi was not dead.

"We didn't want it to be true. When we received word from one of Danzo's informants that he was spotted in Kamishichi just after you arrived in the capital." Minato explained though he didn't sound as if he believed his own words.

"Even if he was in Kamishichi that doesn't mean he started the fire-"Sasuke countered but Danzo rolled his eyes and interrupted.

"He abandoned his troops to join the enemy on the East coast when the battles became too much for him. He was spotted by an informant of mine on the coast at the side of an enemy combatant. There has been word that the allied invaders have been ravaging the East and working their way inward-hitting major economic points as they go. Itachi is helping them in their endeavor to bring us down. He's always had a thirst for power."

"Itachi is not like that." Sasuke said as evenly as possible.

He wasn't. His brother was many things but power-hungry was not one of them! What kind of power had he hoped to gain anyway? The Uchiha clan was already the most respected in Konoha. There was nowhere higher to climb status wise unless… No…no they couldn't think that Itachi wished to overthrow the Emperor. Yet Danzo stood there as if the words he said were facts and the Emperor stood at his side with a worried look in his eye.

There was one thing that he knew for certain though…Danzo was a liar.

Regardless of the truth- of the treason his brother may or may not have committed- he had sought out the Emperor for one reason only. He had to secure the District. Even without the invaders threatening the safety of his clan, there would be danger in the future if they earned the Emperor's distrust. With that in mind, he turned away from Danzo and faced the Emperor head-on.

"The Uchiha remain loyal to the Emperor." He said and a small smile spread across the blonde's face.

"I know. That's why I called you here. According to my wife your numbers have dwindled in the District. Hinata presented a rather compelling request so Kushina was quite taken with her. Bring her to the palace soon for an audience-"

"If I may be so bold Tenno Heika. Konoha can't afford to send special aid to the Uchiha. What of the other clans? What will they think of such a blatant display of favoritism? He may swear his loyalty of course but words are simply that. Words." Danzo interrupted smoothly. "What is your loyalty worth without proof?"

Sasuke frowned, clenching his fists beneath the sleeves of his yukata. What was his loyalty worth? What did he have to do to protect his clan? To uphold his family's legacy that so many men had fought and died for. To keep Hinata safe…

As Danzo's weathered face spread into a smile he already knew the answer to that question.

 _Anything._

 _..._

 ** _The Twentieth Fall of the Hato_**

 ** _Imperial City- Uchiha Manor_**

 ** _..._**

Maybe it was just her imagination but today she felt lighter than she had in a long time. Actually, she'd been feeling this way all week.

"If you keep smiling at your food it might just return the favor."

Hinata jumped at the sound of the voice bringing her back to reality. Inwardly she started to make an apology for her absentmindedness but quickly realized that the comment wasn't directed at her. In fact, it was Sakura's face who's pinks had turned a similar shade to her hair. Temari grinned slyly at the younger girl while Tenten had a similar knowing expression.

"What's going on?" Hinata asked, feeling thoroughly out of the loop.

"Nothing!" Sakura insisted and haughtily stabbed at her food with a blush that deepened by the second.

"I guess nothing keeps you out all night." Temari quipped.

"Temari-"

"I also wonder if 'nothing' just so happens to be a prince."

"Naruto was here?" Hinata asked looking back and forth between the faces of her attendants.

Typically, if Naruto came to see Sakura he also made time for Sasuke. Then again, the Uchiha had been a bit preoccupied last night and every night before…

"Of course he was. That's why she keeps smiling." Temari said.

"I was not smiling." Sakura huffed defensively but her blush refused to abate.

"Just admit that you like him already."

"I- its not like that."

"Surely-"

"Then what is it like?" Tenten asked, interrupting Temari before she could dole out more mortification.

Sakura bit her bottom lip and pushed around the half-eaten food on her plate.

"It's complicated." She sighed.

"You sound like Neji." Tenten laughed before wincing slightly and rubbing her stomach. "I'll tell you the same thing I told him- loving someone doesn't have to be complicated. Sometimes what's best is to follow what your gut tells you not just what others expect or want from you."

Although Tenten's words were soothing enough Sakura only let out a slow breath through her nose. Sympathetically Hinata reached across the table and covered Sakura's hand with her own.

"If it helps at all I think he genuinely likes you too." Hinata said and Sakura let out a half-chocked chuckle.

"It doesn't matter. I already told him not to look for me anymore."

At this revelation, the three other girls exchanged worried glances and Sakura rolled her eyes.

"I don't know why you're all surprised." She said as she calmly peeled an orange.

"But Sakura-"

"It's fine. He's going to be getting married in the spring and that plan was in place long before he ever met me. What more am I to him than just a new face that he's curious about? He'll forget he ever knew me easily."

As the door to the room slid open Hinata highly doubted that would happen. She'd only known Naruto for a short time, but he seemed like a singularly determined person. Turning her attention from Sakura, she smiled at Izumi as she entered the room with a cup of tea. She'd asked Izumi personally to brew it for her so she could try it. Every other time Izumi had gone through the trouble of making it for her previously it had met an unfortunate fate. Spilled, forgotten, or mistaken for another's cup- Hinata felt guilt for snubbing someone else's work.

"Izumi-san, would you like to join us?" she asked and like always the woman silently shook her head and left the room.

"You should stop trying with that one Hinata." Temari sniffed as the door closed.

Hinata merely smiled knowingly and lifted her cup to her lips. She didn't give up on trying to be friends with Temari so she wouldn't give up on Izumi either. There had to be some other way to connect with her-

"Hinata!" Sakura shouted, breaking the Uchiha from her thoughts.

The sound was so startling that she jerked to attention, spilling half of her tea into her lap. Hot tea scalded her through her thin yukata, and she jumped up with a yelp. Sakura and Temari immediately grabbed linens from the table and tried to help her dry off the tea but it was too late. Her yukata was already ruined. Once over the initial shock of spilling tea passed over, her Hinata couldn't help but feel happy. For the first time in a very long time Temari and Sakura weren't fighting. In fact, this was the first morning that Sakura had genuinely returned to her old self. Maybe soon she could tell her about Ino. That would make her even happier.

"Oh it's ruined." Sakura pouted as she dabbed at now the tea-stained fabric. Temari crossed her arms over her chest and snorted.

"No thanks to you."

"Hey-"

Alright, perhaps it was too soon to call their bickering at a stalemate. Just as Hinata was about to wave the two of them off the door to the sitting room opened again but this time much more forcefully. Naruto stood panting, fingers gripped tightly against the frame, and staring determinedly at Sakura. Said woman straightened from trying to fix the tea stain and stared back at him with wide green eyes.

"Naruto." She whispered and the blonde marched into the room.

"I thought long and hard about what you said last night." Naruto said firmly as he marched into the room. "I went over it again and again and I realized that I don't care. I know what I want."

He then stopped in front of Sakura who began to take a half step back.

"I want you to stay with me."

"Naruto I can't."

"Just listen-"

"I will not be one of your consorts!"

"I don't want you to be! I don't want anyone to be that!"

"Naruto-" Sakura protested but was silenced by him grabbing her by the waist and pressing his lips against hers.

Although it was the first time Hinata had ever seen them kiss, it certainly wasn't a new occurrence for them. When Naruto pulled away slightly, Sakura almost looked regretful that he stopped. Grinning foolishly, he pressed his forehead against hers.

"Marry me."

 _ **To be continued…**_

 _Petals I amass_

 _with such tenderness_

 _prick me to the quick_

 ** _(Issa)_**


	41. Chapter 41

**CCNote : This update is not going to be in a burst. But you'd rather one chapter than no chapter right? ANYWAY place your bets on if it's XX or XY in the REVIEWS! Ignore all glaring errors, i'll fix them later. Enjoy!**

 **Beginnings and Endings**

 _Petals I amass_

 _with such a tenderness_

 _prick me to the quick_

 ** _(Issa)_**

 _ **The Twentieth Fall of the Hato**_

 _ **Imperial City- Uchiha Manor**_

 _ **...**_

Sometimes life happened at a slow pace.

One day led to another and another until all they blended together in an indistinguishable haze. She'd had days like that before. Happy days with her cousin and little sister. Fulfilling days with Mikoto and sad ones after her death. Then there were times when life sped up. It was as if everything were passing her by all at once and grasping onto something to anchor her was nearly impossible.

There were changes outside of her control and pain. Pain that felt insurmountable when she was alone and her darker thoughts were allowed to the forefront. Not all the pain in life was terrible, though. Sometimes one was not meant to have what they believed they wanted. Sometimes the disappointment made way for an even better life. Sometimes it made way for a new future.

To be the future Empress of Konoha.

Hinata smiled as she helped Sakura adorn her pink locks with borrowed ornaments- though they would not remain so for long. Soon she would have more jewels and silks than she would know what to do with. There was no doubt in the Uchiha matriarch's mind that Naruto would make sure of that.

"You look wonderful Sakura." Hinata sighed contentedly as she finished with her task.

Sakura, for her part just stared half-dazed at her reflection, her green eyes wide as she took it all in. Hinata could understand the feeling. Although the Hyuuga clan was not poor by any means, there was something to the opulence that came with the things those in the upper echelons of society wore. Plus, the layers of red and white patterned silk were a far cry from her usual navy uniform. Tentatively she reached up and touched a gold ornament in her hair, her eyes becoming glassy as she did so.

"I dreamed about this." She said in a low voice and Hinata smiled at their reflections.

"Did you?"

"It was like this but not…I wasn't getting married to Naruto."

The confession was a small one. A dark one that she probably never wished to utter but she had. Hinata's smile faltered. It didn't surprise her that Sakura had dreamed of marrying Sasuke. Even if the possibility of such a thing happening was impossible- getting married to the future Emperor was decidedly more absurd. However, that didn't make the confession sting any less though the Uchiha didn't know why it hurt in the first place.

Sakura tore her eyes away from the mirror and turned around to face Hinata fully. Bright green eyes met pale lavender ones imploringly as she reached out for Hinata's hand.

"I owe you an apology Hinata." She whispered, her voice cracking as she did so. "You have been nothing but kind to me- kinder than I expected any mistress to be when I was bought."

"Sakura-"

She knew that the lives of her attendants had not been comfortable ones. Just learning about Temari's struggle had been enough for her to deduce that. Sakura did not have to justify her actions to her. Still, the pinkette shook her head and tried to blink back tears.

"No, please let me explain."

Hinata swallowed thickly but nodded, taking a seat on the floor at Sakura's feet.

"My family didn't have much when I was younger, but I remember being happy. It was just me, my mother, and my father. I remember laughing a lot and never going hungry. At least I didn't until they died and I went to the orphanage. Life was much harder there…."

 _….This place was absolutely disgusting. The girls were mean and the women that took care of them were meaner. It didn't help that her pink hair made her stick out like a sore thumb among the sea of brown and black-haired children. They were all the same essentially. Poor orphans with nowhere to go or a pot to piss in. Yet even though they were the same she was less than because she stood out._

 _Because she stood out she was a target for entertainment._

 _Wiping her snotty nose with the heel of her hand, Sakura rested her chin on her knees. Today they had decided she didn't deserve bedding and her futon had been stripped of the threadbare sheets she had been given. Not even her pillow had been left behind. She'd discovered the theft when she'd returned to her room after a particularly nasty hair pulling in the garden. She'd just wanted a reprieve but her empty bed was a reminder that there was no such thing._

 _She would never be allowed to have anything she wanted._

 _"Hey you!" a loud voice called out. Sakura looked up and sniffed to see a blonde girl around her same age waving at her eagerly._

 _In her arms, she carried sheets that looked surprisingly familiar to her own save for the fact that they were covered in mud. As the blonde girl quickly approached, Sakura stood up and hurriedly wiped away the evidence of her tears from her cheeks. She didn't want to be teased for being a crybaby as well. Once the girl reached her, she held out the sheets proudly and smiled._

 _"This is yours right?! I saw the girls stomping on it earlier and you just looked so sad over here so I figured they belonged to you."_

 _Sakura frowned and gingerly took the bedding from the bubbly blonde who seemed to not need air to speak a mile a minute. She was only half correct though. While these were her sheets, they weren't really hers. Nothing belonged to her anymore after her parents died. At the reminder of their death, a new wave of tears filled Sakura's eyes no matter how much she didn't wish them to. The blonde, however, didn't tease her. Instead, she simply put her hands on her hips and smiled._

 _"Don't worry, I know the best way to get mud out! Just you wait!"_

 _Her words only made Sakura feel worse. Why was she even being kind to her right now? Why couldn't she just leave her alone?!_

 _"I'm not going to leave someone who's crying alone. What are you? Stupid?"_

 _Sakura's eyes widened as she dropped her sheets and covered her mouth with her hands. She hadn't meant to say that out loud. The blonde laughed, clutching her stomach with amusement._

 _"Ya know that's the first time I've heard you speak since you got here. You should do it more often." She said as she wiped an imaginary tear from her bright blue eyes. "C' mon lets get those sheets cleaned before we get in trouble."_

 _"We?"_

 _"Yes we as in you and me. Let's go, there's only going to be so much sun to dry them before night time."_

 _Sakura blinked but could do nothing but pick up her sheets and follow the prattling blonde back into the orphanage. It wasn't so scary now because she wasn't alone. She might not have parents or possessions but maybe…just maybe she had a friend…_

….Hinata blinked back tears at Sakura's story and the pinkette was fanning her own face to keep her makeup from running.

"Ino was my first and only friend and when she left with Sai it hurt a lot but I understood why she left. She wanted something of her own. I wanted something of my own too. I guess I just clung harder to my feelings for Sasuke in hopes that he would notice me. He didn't even have to like me…just notice me but…" Sakura sniffed and smiled waterily at Hinata. "The only one he's ever noticed is you."

'Me?' Hinata thought, dumbfounded by Sakura's observation.

At this, Sakura laughed genuinely and her face flushed beneath her makeup. She then rose to her feet and paced the room as if moving around might help her release some of her pent up energy. Hinata stood up as well, unsure of how to process everything Sakura was saying because how could any of that be right?

"You should see your face right now. I know…I know its hard to believe but when I'm watching him, he's watching you and it makes me so angry because _you_ don't even notice!" she said exasperatedly "You should have seen Sasuke that day when he found us. You would have thought the world was ending for him when you collapsed. I've never seen him look so…so _devastated_. Then he stayed in your room for days and nothing anyone said or did could make him come out."

"He was just worried." Hinata said softly but the excuse felt hollow.

"He wasn't 'just worried'." Sakura scoffed as she threw up her hands in frustration. "He's in love with you!"

Sasuke was…in love with her…

No.

No, that couldn't be true.

He married her because otherwise she would have no place else to go. She had no clan to go back to or a child that kept her with the Uchiha. He had agreed to Tenten becoming their ward and freeing Temari even though she was meant to be a spy because those had been the terms she'd set for their marriage. Even though she could give him very little in return, he'd accepted. He did not do those things because he loved her but she was grateful all the same.

Grateful.

Hinata frowned…gratitude was not exactly how she felt herself about the situation and it sat wrong on her heart to label it that.

"Hinata. Do you love him?" Sakura asked softly, drawing the Uchiha out of her thoughts.

The question was logical enough but it shook Hinata to her core. Love was not something she had ever cared about or hoped to attain from her marriage to Sasuke. It was a simple arrangement that benefitted both parties and yet…it wasn't. Deflating, Sakura crossed over to Hinata and gently held both of her hands in her own.

"I'm sorry. I have no right to ask you such a thing and to be honest I know you had no real choice in this. I guess I'm just jealous."

"Jealous?" Hinata chocked out. "You're getting married in only a few hours."

"I know. I never expected such a thing to happen. I was just happy that Ino and I were sent to a rich household and to have a kind mistress." Sakura smiled softly as she gave their joined hands a squeeze. "It feels like at any moment all of this could be snatched away from me…again."

"Naruto won't let that happen."

"He's stubborn, isn't he? But…I think…I think that's what I admire the most about him."

At this Hinata smiled though it slowly fell as Sakura let go of her hands and took a step back, a guilty look in her eyes. Surreptitiously those eyes moved towards at the open door and when Hinata followed her line of sight, there was nothing of note. Just Izumi passing by with two other attendants trailing behind her.

"Sakura?" she asked, surprised by the sudden withdrawal. "What's wrong?"

"Its…Hinata…you don't have to tell me if you are in love with Sasuke. It really doesn't matter but I'm telling you this because you and Sasuke do not deserve the shame."

"Sakura you're not making any sense?"

"I know I'm not but you have to trust me on this." She whispered, glancing warily at the now empty doorway. "Don't drink the tea."

 **…..**

 _ **The Twenty-first Fall of the Taka**_

 _ **Imperial City**_

 _ **...**_

The allied invaders were only a few month's march away from the capital. With each passing day they gained more strength. More territory. More sympathetic ears. This year's harvest yield would be low so the promise of a better ruler who provided more to his people was a siren song to many. After all, the first frost was right around the corner.

Would his brother have been enticed by a regime change? Did he truly have the desire to become Emperor?

 _'One does not plant trees to enjoy the shade.'_

His father had said that once. A stolen sentence he and Hinata had eavesdropped on many moons ago. At the time he did not understand it but now he did. Even if it wasn't Itachi's dream to become Emperor, it might have been their father's. If so was it not his duty to aid his brother?

Sasuke frowned as he tightened his grip on his reigns. He had already pledged the Uchiha clan's loyalty to the Emperor. He would not go back on his word- not when it secured the safety of his people and Hinata.

 _'Hinata._ ' He thought as he raised his eyes to the looming manor before him.

She would want to know what had transpired with his meeting today. She would be happy to know that they would send reinforcements to protect the District and would perhaps be eager to return before winter came. However…he would also have to tell her about Itachi. That he was not dead. That since he was not dead, their marriage was based on a false premise. Hinata was a loyal woman. She would have remained true to Itachi if she had known that he was alive- traitor or not. Yet he had taken her to fulfill his own selfish ends. To get the elders off his back was but one small reason for the arrangement. He wished to keep her by his side. He'd wished that day of her first wedding that it had been him she was marrying…not Itachi.

 _'She is not yours.'_

Shaking his head of Shisui's words from long ago, Sasuke pushed forward to the manor. She belonged to him now. If Itachi was indeed a traitor, he lost his claim to Hinata the moment he abandoned his troops and joined the invaders. That was the information Danzo clung to and said was the truth. He could swallow those words and believe them as well but he knew they were lies. It had to be.

Sasuke sighed as he spotted Naruto pacing in his courtyard and dismounted from his horse. When Naruto was in such a state that meant his day was only going to get worse. He didn't have to wait long for his answer because as soon as he dismounted, Naruto snapped from his internal panic. The blonde then descended upon him with a giant smile.

"What the hell took you so long?" he demanded as he wrapped his arms around the Uchiha in a onesided hug.

"I didn't even know you were waiting." Sasuke grumbled-pushing the blonde away. "Why are you here?"

He was not in the mood for 'hugs' although Naruto always seemed to be.

"She said yes!" Naruto exclaimed though his answer only further confused him.

"Who?"

"Sakura!"

"She said yes to what-" Sasuke started but stopped abruptly as he took in the prince's wide grin. There could only be one reason as to why he would be this excited.

"I guess Sakura has finally given in to your antics. Congratulations." He said with a roll of his eyes but Naruto simply scoffed.

"I expected a warmer reception than that. Geez. I don't even want to invite you to the ceremony tonight if you're going to bring this kind of attitude with you."

Ceremony?

No. _No._ Naruto was _not_ about to do what he thought he was. He could not be _this fucking stupid._

"No."

"No?" Naruto blinked, his smile faltering only slightly. "What do you mean no?"

"You can't possibly think that marrying a _servant_ is a good idea Naruto. Have you lost your mind? Do you even know what the hell you're doing?"

Naruto frowned and crossed his arms over his chest, unappreciative of Sasuke's objection. The Uchiha, however, did not care. Did he expect him to be happy about the upheaval of the royal line of succession?

"I know exactly what I'm doing, just as my father before me did. It's not as if this is unprecedented."

"Sakura is not a foreign dignitary's daughter like Kushina-sama. She will bring nothing to the throne but misfortune once Danzo realizes that his influence has been thwarted yet again." Sasuke growled as he took a step forward. "Will you really cast aside your duty like this?"

Although he spoke these words to Naruto, they were ones that were already weighing heavily on his mind. His duty to the Emperor. His duty to his brother. Whichever one he chose opened a world of misfortune.

"I may not be good at studying but I know there is no right answer to that question." Naruto said calmly with a shrug of his shoulders. "Things will always be difficult. I'll never be able to make the right decision all the time to please everyone but…at least with Sakura, I'll have the chance to be happy."

"Naruto-"

"I refuse to be a puppet in marriage as well Sasuke."

The Uchiha opened his mouth to retort but promptly closed it again. There was something about the determination in his eyes that ceased all argument. Naruto would not be swayed from his decision. Out of the corner of his eye, the opening of the manor door caught his attention. Hinata stepped out with a dark hood covering her small frame. The moment she saw him she paused and with her the world stopped. _His_ world stopped. Slowly a faint blush dusted over her cheeks and a bashful smile played on her lips. The world turned on its axis once more and with it, his own selfishness.

"Fine. Just make sure you remember this day when the Uchiha need something from the throne." Sasuke said firmly, solidify his own decision as to where his loyalty lied.

 _ **….**_

 _ **The Twentieth Fall of the Hato**_

 _ **Imperial City- Senso-ji**_

 _ **...**_

Was it possible to feel more nervous than the bride and groom?

Hinata had wondered this more times than she could count the entire ride up to the sacred royal shrine. Under the cover of darkness, they rode on horseback with black cloaks to hide their identities. She had never ridden on a horse before, the great beasts were not necessary to her life in the Compound and even less so when she arrived in the District. The minute she was on it's back she had a fear of slipping off but Sasuke's arms encircled her completely. Her fear vanished in his hold and she was able to enjoy the slow ride to the temple.

Her heart beat frantically the entire journey with Sakura and Naruto following behind them on a separate horse. It was scandalous what they were doing, sneaking through the streets when they should be asleep. Attending a secret royal wedding. The scandal of it all made the Uchiha's heart beat faster with a tinge of longing to have someone to recount the tale for. Hanabi would have loved such a story. Sighing, Hinata leaned back into Sasuke's chest and relished the moment for what it was.

It didn't take long for them to arrive at the temple but surprisingly it was already brightly lit. Miko helped the four of them dismount from their horses and led them inside where the heady smell of incense filled their lungs.

Naruto and Sakura were quickly led away by the head monk to a back room for counsel so that left her and Sasuke to stand in the courtyard to wait.

"I can't believe that this is happening." Hinata mused as the Miko continued their work on purifying the altar.

"Neither can I." Sasuke grumbled, his brow knitting together in consternation.

Hinata hid a small smile behind her sleeve.

"You are worried, aren't you?" she said and Sasuke gave her a questioning look.

"You do realize the ramifications of this night don't you? It's more than him just eloping with a woman who is not his intended."

At this, she slowly shook her head. Sasuke let out a slow, measured breath through his nose and crossed his arms.

"His bride was chosen for him before he'd even been conceived." Sasuke started, his voice low so that they couldn't be overheard. "It was a promise made when the Emperor jilted his own bride in favor of the Empress. From what I heard growing up in the court…it was a messy affair but being an idealist, the Emperor could not marry someone when his heart belonged to another."

"That…that doesn't sound unreasonable."

"Danzo is not a reasonable man." Sasuke frowned. "His family, although not a clan, climbed the ranks of society quickly during a time of unrest among the masses. Since favoring a daughter from one of the warring clans would have caused an imbalance, marrying a woman who belonged to none of them but brought great influence to the throne would have been ideal. To keep war at bay he was supposed to marry the Shogunate's sister but ended up enamored with the daughter of a foreign ally."

Hinata waited with bated breath as Sasuke paused in his tale to watch Naruto and Sakura emerge from their counsel. The two of them walked solemnly to the altar behind the priest and sat before him to complete the ceremony. Although neither of them were wearing formal wedding attire, they looked perfect none the less.

"It was the perfect way to appease the other clans but the slight against the Shogunate was not forgotten. Since he was in charge of the military, he could have overthrown the Emperor and settled on the throne. He wouldn't have lasted long though and the tension between the clans would have devolved into another war."

Naruto accepted the saucer of sake from the priest and drained it quickly. Sakura accepted the saucer once refilled and emptied it in a more dignified manner, a grin playing at her lips.

"So a compromise was made. When the Shogunate had a child, they would be promised to the Emperor's. He never had a….a child but his sister did when she finally married. They'd hoped for a boy but it worked out that she had a girl when Naruto was finally born."

They bit into the pads of their thumbs and pressed into the scroll between them, signing their lives to one another before men. The priest then took the scroll and threw it into the sacred fire. Now they were sworn before the Gods themselves.

"So what now?" Hinata asked as the pair at the alter began the tediously long prayer with the priest.

"The Uchiha are sworn to the Emperor."

Hinata bit her bottom lip at his words, trying to parse out what that might entail. The Uchiha clan had always been the spearhead of the Emperor no matter who might be sitting on the throne. She didn't know much about power struggles and the political tension of clans. Growing up isolated within the Hyuuga Compound had kept her blind to strife beyond their walls. She used to think of it as suffocating but now…now she felt they had been onto to something.

It was terrifying knowing that just outside of this shrine the world may crumble at their feet because of a single union. Yet as the two of them smiled behind the priests back Hinata felt torn. Was it so bad to be happy? Was it so selfish?

Surreptitiously Hinata glanced to her left at Sasuke and her heart skipped a beat. He had changed a lot since she first met him in her seventeenth winter. He would have never spoken more than three words to her let alone explain the complicated entanglements of the royal family. At the time she thought that he would hate her indefinitely and she would never grow to tolerate him. He was a mean, rude boy back then but now… Now he cared about her opinion in regards to the clan. He listened when she spoke and he even worried about her wellbeing which had been an inconceivable notion. He was a man of little words but she did not need him to shout his affections the way Naruto did. She preferred him the way that he was.

Her heart skipped another beat at this realization.

 _'Do you love Sasuke?'_

She couldn't answer Sakura's question then and she couldn't do it now. Love was not something she thought she would possess for her husband but what did she feel? What did he feel for her? Did it even matter in the long run when morning came and the sky fell upon their heads?

A warm, rough hand brushed against the back of her fingers and drew her out of her own thoughts. She watched in mild amusement as Sasuke slipped a small cracker into her palm and looked up to see his own jaw subtly moving to chew one of his own. She held back a laugh as she accepted the cracker and secretly slipped into her mouth behind the cover of her sleeve. The gesture reminded her of simpler times though they could not stand each other back then.

As Naruto and Sakura completed their ceremony, they followed the train of Miko out to guide the pair to their horse. They rode out into the night, absorbed in one another and ignorant of the end they wrought in their wake. Still, Hinata could feel nothing but warmth in her heart for them. All that mattered was right now.

Happiness, after all, was inherently selfish in that way.

So as they faded into the distance and the rain fell onto the Earth, Hinata let go as well. Tomorrow was not promised to anyone. What was the point of following rules and decorum if all that lied ahead was hardship. Why not be selfish? Why not do what made her happy now? With this in mind, she followed Sasuke back to their horse but stopped him when he tried to take the reigns.

"I can do it." She said confidently though she had no idea where it came from.

Sasuke smirked at her knowingly. He _knew_ that she'd never steered a horse in her life. He _knew_ the danger of letting a novice like her navigate in a city as confusing as the capital. He knew all of this and more but he still handed her the reigns. His larger hands settled on securing her hips as she sat side-saddle and his lips brushed against the shell of her ear.

"Pull back to stop." He said and dug in his ankles on the horse's side to direct it to start.

The great black steed galloped off faster than she'd anticipated. If Sasuke hadn't been holding her steady, she might have fallen off but the excitement was exhilarating. Wrapping the leather reins around her hands, Hinata snapped them to get the horse to gallop faster. As they picked up speed a light, fuzzy feeling settled over her and all of her usual worries vanish. It was a childish feeling she hadn't experienced since she had left the Compound behind. The kind of feeling that came with receiving a rare smile from her father or running after Hanabi with Neji.

If she had to put a name to it, it would be _fun._ Even when the sky opened up and rain began to pour, the wet did not damper her fun. If anything, it heightened the experience. Narrowly they dodged obstructions in their way, each time they did Sasuke's fingers would press into her hips but he never took the reigns.

Faster and faster they rode until they finally came to the open gates of the manor. She pulled back on the reigns just as they crossed the threshold-the hooves of the horse kicking up mud as water as they did so. It wasn't an elegant stop but no one was hurt so there had to be merit in that. Sasuke was the first to dismount and for a moment she was disappointed. She'd actually enjoyed the warmth of having him at her back. Hinata blushed at the thought, her face now hot enough that she didn't even feel the rain anymore. Her embarrassment was short-lived as Sasuke helped her down from the horse and back onto solid but muddy ground.

"You ride…well." He said, his compliment stiff and awkward. "For a beginner."

Hinata smiled up at him, a 'thank you' just on the tip of her tongue but that disappeared the moment he kissed her. His lips were a pleasantly warm contrast to the cold rain and would have been easy to melt into once she got over her initial shock. Unfortunately, he began to pull away. He was hesitant for some reason. After everything that had happened today him holding back was the last thing she wanted. Adrenaline still coursed through her veins and her desire for excitement had not yet been sated. She looked up into his eyes and her throat tightened.

 _'He's in love with you.'_

Sakura's words rang loudly in her ears and with each passing heartbeat it felt more true. She _hoped_ that it was true.

 _'Do you love Sasuke?'_

She didn't know the answer to that but she wanted to find out. Emboldened, she stood on her toes and wrapped her arms around his neck to pull him down to her level. When she kissed him, it was his turn to feel shocked but he recovered much more quickly than she had. He ravished her mouth eagerly with only a bit of prompting, kissing her till she was breathless.

Even then she would have rather suffocated than stop.

Stopping was not an option. There could only be _more._

From the front door to the stairs to their room. She was sure they scandalized a few attendants still awake but her hunger did not permit her to care. It felt too good to have his body pressed against hers and his hands roaming with abandon.

Wet layers of silk were shed one by one as soon as the door closed behind them. Now that they had privacy, Sasuke became even more insistent, pressing her against the wall and kissing every inch of damp skin that he could reach. Her own greed was there as well and she took the opportunity to freely run her hands over his body. The male figure was something of an unknown to her but she was positive there was no one better. When he groaned under her touch a feeling of pride swelled within her. What other sounds could she elicit from him? It made her center clench at the prospect. To have Sasuke become genuinely undone the way he pleasured her- to know that only she would know him in such a way- that was even more exciting than speeding through the city.

Clutching tightly to her newfound courage, Hinata moved to hold his length in her hand. The first time she'd seen it on their wedding night, it had honestly scared her. The male organ was not an enticing thing to look at but she knew now that she enjoyed it. Curiously she traced her fingers along the length until she got to the tip and he jerked slightly. Hinata started to pull her hand away but he grabbed it and firmly wrapped her fingers around his cock.

"Like this." He whispered huskily, guiding her up and down his length.

Hinata watched in fascination as their hands moved in sync, unconsciously licking her lips as she did so. This is the way Sasuke liked to be touched. When she caught onto his rhythm, he let her hand go and steadied himself against the wall with his forearm. His breathing was shallow as he allowed her to take control and Hinata relished his reaction. Experimentally she twisted her wrist as she got to the tip and elicited a groan from her husband- the sound of which made her wet. While still keeping her rhythm, Hinata kissed and nipped at his collar bone and neck and he bucked into her hand slightly.

"Hinata." He groaned as he leaned down to capture her lips.

She moaned into the kiss and her open mouth gave him free rein to explore. He dominated her entirely, his need melding with her own at each pass of his tongue. While she was distracted by his mouth, Sasuke removed her hand from his length and gathered her into his arms. She squeaked in surprise at the sudden change in elevation but didn't complain as he carried her to their futon.

He then laid her down and paused, his dark eyes devouring every inch of her naked body as if he wanted to commit the sight to memory. With a smirk, he pushed some of her rain dampened locks off her cheek before pressing a short kiss to her lips. When he looked at her again there was something in his eyes that made her stomach flip. It worried and filled her up simultaneously. Reaching up, she cupped his cheek and he leaned into the warmth of her hand- his intense gaze never wavering from her own.

"Uchiha Hinata, you will be the end of me."

 _ **…**_

It wasn't until the early hours of the morning that the rain finally let up on its torrential downpour.

It also wasn't until then that the fire in the pit of her stomach had been satiated for the time being.

Hinata let out a slow breath through her nose as she stared out into the dark room. Curled onto her side with Sasuke's chest as a pillow, the steady rise and fall of which calmed her nerves and made her eyes heavy. Lazily his fingers skimmed her arm and shoulder. The sensation raised goosebumps on her skin and made her draw closer into his side.

"You should sleep." Sasuke growled as he felt her squirm. "Unless you want to go again."

The Uchiha matriarch blushed as she felt a chuckle rumble through his chest. Being with Sasuke again was not something she was opposed to. Last night had been… _amazing_. That was the only way to describe every sensation he'd wrought forth from her body. If she wasn't so tired she might have eagerly taken him up on his tease to start another round. She was assured that he felt the same by the way the sheet was starting to rise a bit around his waist. Hinata blushed and admonished herself for glancing at his covered arousal, burying her face in his chest. Amused, Sasuke buried his fingers in her hair and gently pulled her head back to look at him.

"Hinata-" he started but a thunderous knock on their door cut him off.

"Hinata!" Temari's muffled voice shouted. "Hinata it's time!"

"It's time? It's time!"

Quickly Hinata jumped to her feet, much to the bewilderment of Sasuke, and scurried off to their trunks to find something to wear. It was time! Her heart fluttered madly in her chest as she put on her underclothes with shaking hands.

"What is going on?" Sasuke asked and she turned to him with a smile that felt like it could break her face.

"Tenten is going to have the baby!" she said breathlessly, happy tears welling up in her eyes.

A new Hyuuga was coming into the world. She wouldn't be the last one anymore. To her surprise, Sasuke silently rose from their futon and came up to her side to start dressing.

"Y-you don't have to get up!" Hinata stammered but he sent her a questioning look.

He really didn't have to. According to the scrolls she'd read about labor and delivery it took a long time for babies to be born. Still part of her was happy that he would wait out the birth of her niece or nephew by her side. The grin she had from before returned with a vengeance as she pressed a short kiss to his jaw and proceeded to finish dressing.

Once they were both presentable enough to be seen, they left their room and were greeted by the bustle of the manor in full swing. It appeared that the arrival of a child had everyone excited. Eagerly she walked down the hall with Sasuke looming on her heels until she came upon Tenten's room around the corner. Hinata poked her head into the already open door and sighed in relief to know that she hadn't missed anything yet. Tenten was simply pacing up and down the room on her own, her hand running circles over her belly.

"Tenten!" Hinata greeted happily and the woman in question turned around with wide eyes.

"Hinata? What are you doing awake?"

"Temari got me. Its time for the baby isn't it?"

The brunette smiled and nodded her head.

"My water broke not too long ago. Temari must have gotten you on her way to alert the midwife."

A midwife was coming! Hinata took a deep breath and tried to calm herself. If she got too worked up she might faint and then they'd have to bring in a doctor as well. Plus if she fainted she might miss the birth and she refused to do that. Nothing would keep her from holding a piece of her family in her arms again. A heavy hand landed on her shoulder and gave her a comforting squeeze she didn't realize she needed. It was brief but enough to steel her nerves and move her forward into the room.

Family.

She would have a piece of her family again.

Hinata walked up to Tenten with glassy eyes and a smile. The brunette's expression matched her own and if either one of them spilled a tear they would both begin sobbing. The tears would not be sad however.

For the first time in a long, long time they would be tears of joy.

 _ **To be continued…..**_

 _Late autumn:  
my thoughts turn to my Mother and Father_

 ** _(Buson)_**


	42. Chapter 42

**CCNote: I'm loving all of the favorites and follows as we roll into the last arc of this story (there's probably less than 10 chapters till the end). Can you believe that it's taken a year to get to this point? This chapter literally poured out of me in an hour. From start to finish it just flowed. I think the rest will come quickly as well. So here you go. As always if you want early snippets when I'm moving at a slower update pace you can join the Discord group. **

**ANYWAY please enjoy and don't forget to leave a REVIEW!**

 _Late autumn:_

 _my thoughts turn to my Mother and Father_

 ** _(Buson)_**

 **To See**

 _ **The Twenty-first Fall of the Taka**_

 _ **Imperial City- Uchiha Manor**_

 _ **...**_

The hours ticked by slowly as they waited with bated breath for one of the last members of the Hyuuga clan to be born. All of the Manor was on high alert and no visitors would be allowed on the premises except for a midwife and a doctor that Hinata had previously commissioned. Locked away since the first morning rays, Temari was the only one allowed in the room since she would not faint at the sight of blood the way Hinata would.

The screams of the Uchihas' ward rang out throughout the day, each time signaling the arrival of the child. Sasuke watched as with each cry of pain Hinata tensed with every pained cry and her face fall slightly with each hour that went by. Every so often, she would stroke the opal pendant that rarely left her neck as if it would provide some sort of comfort to her nerves. When she could no longer sit still, she paced back and forth outside of the door with longing glances. Sasuke wasn't sure what he expected from a woman giving birth but it certainly hadn't been this. He winced as the screams in the room increased and were followed by a chorus of other voices.

Had his mother gone through this? _Twice?_

Hinata turned to him with a pale face full of worry.

"It won't be long now." She said as she wrung her hands together. "It's getting closer together. I read that was a good thing."

"Hn."

"It takes many many hours but that's normal."

"Is it."

"And…and they say that the first birth is the hardest but every child after that is easier."

"You seem to have read a lot." Sasuke smirked and Hinata's eyes grew wide.

"I- well..I…" she stammered embarrassedly as her entire face turned red.

Sasuke's smirk fell as she grew increasingly flustered. Had he said something wrong? No, that couldn't be it. There was another reason for her tongue-tied state.

"Hinata-" he started, hoping to get some clarification for her odd reaction. "What are you trying to say?"

At first, she bit her bottom lip and averted her gaze from him. He took a step closer only to be met with her drawing back. From the room, Tenten let out another scream.

"One day…" she said in a low voice. "You will need an heir. It will be…it _is_ my responsibility to know these things."

 _An heir..._

Sasuke froze. He had never given much thought to producing one unless it was to appease the elders. Elders who when they returned to the District would be expecting an heir. They had been reluctant to his marriage to Hinata for many reasons but the biggest one was because they believed her to be barren. A matriarch who could not perform her most sacred duty of bringing about an heir to the clan would live with that shame for the rest of her days. Or at least until he left her bed for a woman who would give him a child.

As much as he would detest the idea, the elders would demand it and this time they would not be cowed. If they were feeling generous, they would simply look the other way and allow Hinata to raise the child as her own. All the while, she would be reminded of her failure. Sasuke shook his head of the thought. He was getting too far ahead of himself but Hinata's apprehension did worry him. Clearing his throat, he pointedly threw glances at her belly and wondered if there was a child there. _His_ child.

"Are you…" he asked before awkwardly trailing off.

Hinata's hands immediately flew up to her middle protectively and her blush deepened at his insinuation.

"No… no, I don't think so." She said quickly.

A weight lifted off of his shoulders at her denial. Even though producing an heir was necessary, the thought of bringing up a child frightened him. He had no idea how to be a father, especially since the only example he had of one barely tolerated his existence. Hinata, on the other hand, did not look as relieved as he was. In fact, she seemed almost ashamed of the news. Sighing, he pulled her by the elbow into his chest where she shoulders slumped and she relaxed against him.

"I'm sorry." She whispered although her apology was slightly muffled by his chest and Tenten's cries.

"There is nothing to apologize for so don't." he said firmly as he placed a hand on top of her head.

An heir to the Uchiha clan would come in time. He was not necessarily worried about that as he should be. A baby meant what little time he did have to spend with Hinata would be lessened and he was not ready to share her. Not yet. Besides, the last thing he wanted to witness was her being in pain like their ward. Settled in the fact that he did not want a child soon, he absently stroked the top of Hinata's head and she relaxed in kind. His ministrations were cut short however by an excruciatingly long cry from Tenten's room. A brief silence and then the distinct wail of a baby.

Hinata lifted her head from his chest and happiness immediately replaced her worries from before. She then turned towards the door with her hands clutched around her opal pendant in anticipation. The sound of the baby's cry was strong, a relief after the ordeal its mother went through to bring it into the world. It took a few moments but the door to the room finally opened and Temari walked out with a small bundle in her arms. Hinata immediately gasped at the sight and opened her arms to receive the freshly cleaned newborn which her attendant quickly handed over.

"It will all be over soon." Temari said with a tired smile. "She has to pass the after birth but she's having some trouble."

With that, she quickly returned to the room, leaving the Uchihas with a baby that was scant a few minutes old. Hesitantly Sasuke walked up to Hinata and peered over her shoulder at the baby. It wasn't crying like before but it wasn't exactly at ease. With its puffy eyes closed and cheeks a ruddy red, he couldn't see the appeal. Hinata, however, appeared to have fallen in love with the newborn the minute Temari put it into her arms.

"Oh, Sasuke." She said breathlessly, unable to tear her eyes away from the baby. "It's perfect."

She moved the blankets the baby was swaddled in a bit and let out a chocked laugh.

" _She_ is perfect."

Perfect.

The word struck him right to his core and the sight of Hinata with a child in her arms stirred something instinctual. He listened to her sniff as she tried to hold back tears and he could help but press a kiss to her temple in comfort. Suddenly all of his apprehension to an heir vanished in favor of seeing pure, unadulterated joy on her face.

One day she would not feel the need to apologize to him for not being pregnant.

One day she would have their child in her arms and gush just as much as she was doing now. Maybe even more so. Sasuke smirked briefly at the competitive thought before a nagging thought wormed it's way to the front of his mind. Such a future would not exist if she knew what he did.

If she knew that Itachi was alive…

 **…..**

After all of the excitement that had occurred earlier, it was a relief to be out of the house. Overhead the sun was just starting to dip for the evening but the streets remained lively and full of people. It was actually more crowded than usual which meant that Kakashi's warning to be on his guard was warranted. Although the older man had wished to accompany him on his journey today, he had ordered Kakashi remain at the Manor. He cared more about Hinata being safe and he was simply going for a walk to clear his head.

There wasn't much peace to be hand outside of the Manor walls though. With the end of fall came winter. While many of the other Clansmen that had taken up Court with the Emperor would be returning home to their lands, those in the lower class were arriving to take up residence. Trade usually came to a screeching halt during the first chill and, with no land to farm, people hunkered down until spring. Fall festivals would be held throughout the country to celebrate the end of the harvest. Prayers would be sent to the gods to ensure that loved ones made it through the harshest season in Konoha.

Perhaps the allied invaders would freeze mid-march but that was too much to hope for.

All that he could do was send back the supplies and manpower they had procured from the Emperor to the Uchiha District. Everyone except for a handful of men he picked would stay behind with him to serve in the capacity as the new Uchiha Commander. The new spearhead of the Emperor's army. At some point soon he would have to tell Hinata that she would be returning to the District without him but that was a conversation for another time. She was too enamored with her niece for him to plague her with a separation no matter how brief it would be.

 _'And it will be brief.'_ He thought.

He had no intentions of staying away from her and the clan any longer than necessary. The days of endless campaigns would cease with this one. Or at least that is what he hoped. Sasuke sighed as he slowly made his way over a bright red pedestrian bridge that led to the Imperial city's park. Many families passed him by, jovial in one another's company.

When he was younger, he'd wished his family had time to explore the city like those today but that never happened. His father was always off on a campaign and typically took Itachi along for the fight. His mother abhorred the capital and only came once to introduce him to the Emperor. Every other time he'd come to the park it had always been alone like today or with Naruto but maybe…maybe one day that would change. Sighing, he leaned against the railing of the bridge and looked down at the crystal clear water below. In only a few weeks it would be frozen and children would slip and slide over it. It was a sight he was sure Hinata would enjoy…

"Uchiha-sama." A monotonously familiar voice drawled. "Don't be alarmed. Don't look directly at me."

Sasuke frowned as he finally noticed the presence that sidled up to his left. The individual's face was covered by a navy parasol but the fingers that gripped the handle were smudged with black. The fingers of an artist.

"It's you." Sasuke said in a low voice, returning his gaze to the water. The strange artist chuckled.

"I'm glad that you remembered me. I suppose this is the part where I apologize for stealing your sister-in law's attendant but I can't say that I regret it. Oh, actually things have changed with you two haven't they? Hinata-sama is your _wife_ now." Sai said blandly. "Sister to wife but I suppose they just do things differently when you are apart of a clan. I can't be one to judge."

"What do you want?" Sasuke growled.

"As direct as always. I like it. We have been watching you."

They had been watching him? Who? Why?

"This is the first time you've actually been alone and walking for one of us to approach you. You certainly like horses, especially when your 'sister-wife' is steering. Ah- I'm stepping on a nerve I see. You must know by now who I am since Temari told you. I'm surprised you didn't kill her actually."

Sasuke unclenched his jaw to answer, keeping in mind that punching the man in the face would not bring him any closer to the answers he possessed. It would make him _feel_ better though.

"You are not actually an artist but a spy for the Shogunate." Sasuke said finally and Sai let out an indignant scoff.

"My pride is wounded. I am indeed an artist. The portrait I made for you and Hinata-sama was some of my best work-"

"Why were you spying on us?"

"You're temper is entirely too short. I was sent because Mikoto-sama was noncompliant -as she's always been- but I suppose He felt that this time would be different. I'm not sure why though nor do I really care. She threw a wrench into the whole thing with that suicide. It was a shame I didn't get to see her before she died. They say Mikoto-sama was quite beautiful."

Sasuke closed his eyes and tried to block out the nonsense Sai felt the need to spew in addition to his facts. He had come to seek out his mother. Why? What purpose did the Shogunate have with a woman who for all intents and purposes was widowed? A woman who made it a point to write about her utter abhorrence for the man within her scrolls. She had made it an unspoken taboo for him to even set foot in the District. The last time he had done so had been over twenty-one years ago.

"Trying to piece it all together?" Sai chuckled. "You'll drive yourself mad attempting to figure out His plans. I stopped trying long ago."

"Why are you telling me all this if you don't care? Why did you send that note?"

"That's a good question. Mainly it's because my wife does. I read somewhere that keeping one's wife happy leads to one's own happiness. For some reason Ino loves Hinata and when she discovered a way to help her well, there was little I could do to convince her otherwise." Sai paused and shifted from one foot to the other. "As for the note, it was a warning. Nothing that has happened or yet to happen will be in your control. You will not be able to contain or stop it. The best you can do is to keep your head down and make sure your affairs are in order when the time comes."

"But Shisui-"

"Is under my watch. He should be dead quite honestly but you Uchiha are stubborn bastards to kill. Would you like to see him?"

 _ **…**_

 _ **The Twentieth Fall of the Hato**_

 _ **Imperial City- Uchiha Manor**_

 _ **...**_

"It's okay. It's okay. Shhhh."

Taking care of a newborn was much more complicated than Hinata had anticipated. It was especially hard when said newborn was hungry and no one within the household could soothe it. They had attempted to get the girl to feed from Tenten while she was unconscious but she wasn't producing any milk. Even if she had been the fever she was developing was not safe for the baby.

Hinata sniffed as she regarded her brunette friend lying in a fitful sleep. Her brows were scrunched together as if she could hear the newborn's cry but could do nothing to help. It had to be a maternal instinct that transcended consciousness. Tenten _knew_ that her baby needed her.

"Please wake up." Hinata whispered worriedly as she tried to soothe her niece. "You have to wake up and see your daughter."

The brunette was unreceptive to her pleas. Blinking back tears, she walked up and down the room, gently rocking the hungry newborn. What was she going to do? If Tenten passed away her heart would break for her friend and her niece would never know her mother. Such a fate had a marked impact on Hanabi but at least she still had the love of their father. She knew what it felt like to have a family protect and care for her. This little one may not. To never know one's mother or father was not a fate she wished for her niece to know.

"Hinata-sama." Kakashi said as he entered the room with a small bow.

Hinata nodded her head respectfully in his direction as she continued to pace the room. Her niece's cries were just coming down to whimpers and she was afraid if she stopped moving the cries would increase.

"Kakashi-san, has something happened?" she asked and he shook his head.

"Actually I came here to offer help with the child." He replied as he stepped further into the room and revealed a woman standing behind him.

She was a pretty woman with wavy black hair and pale skin but it was her red eyes that were the most striking feature about her. That and the confidence she exuded the moment she stepped into the room. She gave Hinata a small bow as she stepped into the room and smiled as she rose. It was a kind smile, motherly and knowing as her eyes shifted to the fussy baby in her arms. Unconsciously Hinata drew her niece protectively to her chest.

"This is Kurenai." Kakashi said with a wave of his hand in the newcomer's direction. "She is the wife of a close comrade of mine, she may be able to help with…um…"

He pointedly looked at the baby and Hinata shamefully averted her gaze to Tenten.

"She doesn't have a name yet. Tenten will give her one when she wakes up."

"I understand." Kurenai said, her voice kind and disarming. "Can I see her?"

Hinata was reluctant. She didn't want strangers around her niece before Tenten even had a say on the matter. Neji surely wouldn't stand for it but she didn't have many options. Hesitantly she nodded and Kurenai came further into the room to peer down at the newborn in her arms.

"I remember when Mirai was this tiny. It feels like only yesterday." She sighed fondly and turned her bright red eyes on Hinata. "This little one is hungry and needs to eat. That is why she will not rest for you."

"Her mother will wake up soon." Hinata replied more curtly than she intended.

Kurenai did not take offense but instead walked over to the bed where Tenten lay. The Uchiha matriarch glanced at Kakashi worriedly but he only nodded with deference to the woman. For whatever reason, he trusted this woman not to harm Tenten. Could she though? Reluctantly she watched as Kurenai pressed a palm against the brunette's forehead and one against her own, a small frown forming as she did so. She then moved her hand to Tenten's throat and pressed two fingers against her pulse. Solemnly she looked back at Hinata and the newborn became fussier.

"Her fever is too high and her pulse too weak." Kurenai said. "If she lasts through the night, it will be a miracle."

"But…but she was fine…Tenten…"

She had escaped the Hyuuga Compound and _walked_ all the way to the Uchiha District by herself. Despite all that had happened to her, Tenten was so positive and open and _strong_. There was no way she would leave this world without seeing the life she and Neji had created. The life she had worked so hard to protect. As if she could feel her anxiety spike, the newborn began to wail and Hinata turned away from the concerned looks of Kurenai and Kakashi.

This was not happening.

Tenten could not leave her. Not like everyone else. Her heart could not handle someone else she cared about leaving her side! They just needed to call the doctor back in and then Tenten would be fine. She would wake up and see her daughter and give her a name and-

"Hinata-sama." Kakashi said firmly, snapping the woman out of the spiral of her thoughts. Glassy eyed, she sniffed and turned to Kurenai who had come back to her side and was patiently waiting with outstretched arms.

"I gave birth to Mirai early this summer and I will continue producing milk for her as long as she will take it. I am healthy enough to take care of two children." She said.

Hinata blushed at the implication of the woman's words but it made sense. Tenten couldn't feed her and there was no one else within the Manor to take up the duty either. She vaguely remembered Hanabi having a nursemaid but was never around for feedings. Hinata bit her bottom lip as the newborn's cries mounted.

"If I may be so bold Hinata-sama, Kurenai will be living alone soon but she would be willing to stay here with her daughter for as long as is needed for Tenten to recover." Kakashi suggested.

"Why?" Hinata blurted out. Why would this stranger be willing to help them? Kurenai and Kakashi exchanged a look between them before the silver-haired man answered.

"The Emperor will be deploying his forces against the invaders soon and her husband is one of his top generals. We don't know how this will turn out but it will be safest for Kurenai and her daughter to not be alone."

That's right. They were on the precipice of war. It was so easy to forget such a fact with everything that had happened in the last few weeks. As the baby cried, Hinata slowly handed her over to Kurenai guiltily.

"Please care for her needs until Tenten wakes." She said, her arms now left bereft. "But you can stay with us until the war is over. I would never turn my back to a friend of Kakashi-san. He has served us well thus far and Sasuke trusts him."

"Thank you, Hinata-sama." Kakashi said with a stiff bow. "I will go to collect Mirai."

He gave a short nod to Kurenai as well and then promptly left the room. As soon as he was gone, the older woman loosened the top of her yukata and Hinata averted her gaze. From the sound of things though, her niece was not going to have much trouble feeding. Her cries immediately ceased once she latched on and the room was filled with the soft sound of feeding. The tension in Hinata's shoulders lessened with relief and she closed her eyes. She wanted so desperately to care for the newborn but she didn't have what she needed the most.

She couldn't even help Tenten.

"She's going to be very beautiful." Kurenai said softly and Hinata slowly opened her eyes. "Look."

The older woman walked over slowly and brought her niece close. The newborn's red face had now calmed down to its natural pale state much to Hinata's relief but that was not what took her breath away. Her puffy eyes had finally opened for the first time that day and bore the trademark of a Hyuuga. The eyes of her cousin. Tears welled up in her own eyes and she turned back to Tenten, slumping down to the floor so that she could gently grasp her limp hand.

"She has Neji's eyes Tenten." She whispered breathlessly. "I know you want to see that so you have to wake up. You have to."

The brunette's eyes twitched behind their lids but they did not open. That was fine though, they would open soon just like her daughter's. With renewed hope, Hinata reached for the basin of cold water near Tenten's bedside and squeezed the excess water out of a rag. She then used the rag to wipe down her face, neck, and arms. When she finished, the newborn had also settled as well and Kurenai placed her right on top of the unconscious woman's bare chest underneath the thin sheet.

"Skin to skin contact is good for mother and baby." Kurenai explained when Hinata gave her a curious look.

Hinata gave the woman a grateful smile and nodded. Even if Tenten couldn't see her daughter, yet she would be able to feel her. She would feel her warmth and her heartbeat and her little body. For now, that was good enough. Blinking back tears that threatened to well up again, Hinata bowed gratefully from her seat at Kurenai.

"Thank you for your assistance." She said softly. "There are plenty of empty rooms in the family wing of the Manor. I will help you get settled in later but for now…"

"For now, I will head off Kakashi and my daughter. The baby will be fine for two hours at least. I will return then." Kurenai finished and Hinata already felt more than grateful for her existence.

She left the room quickly and Hinata sighed, now alone with her sleeping friend and niece. It wouldn't be like this for long though. Tenten would wake up. She had to. Unfortunately, with each hour that ticked past her fever climbed and though the doctor made repeat visits, there was nothing he could do. No medicine could be brewed for her as her breathing grew shallow and her pulse slowed to an indiscernible pace. Hinata sat by her side while her skin became pale and the darkness of the night overtook the room.

Still, she sat.

 _ **...**_

 _ **The Twenty-first Fall of the Taka**_

 _ **Underneath the Imperial City**_

 _ **...**_

It was dark and dank and the smell was enough to put him off the entire endeavor. Sasuke persisted however and held his breath as he followed his obnoxious guide through the underground maze of the Imperial City. In all of his visits to the Capital he had never known of their existence but Sai walked through as if he had been doing so all his life. In many ways he had.

It took longer than he thought possible- surely they had reached the outskirts of the city- when Sai finally stopped walking. He turned back to the Uchiha with a smile illuminated by the light of his torch and pulled a white, ceramic mask with red markings from the inside fold of his yukata.

"You'll need this before we go up." he said as he held out the mask.

It would severely cut off his peripheral vision but Sasuke accepted the mask and put it on. Sai then turned his torch to light up rungs on the stone wall before snuffing it out. He took to the ladder easily and Sasuke followed him up, one rung at a time until Sai pushed on an opening in the ceiling. Sasuke squinted at the bright light from the opening but kept going, eager to be away from the darkness and filth.

Once he emerged from the hole, Sai was already standing in front of a man clad in all black and a mask similar to the one he'd presented to Sasuke earlier. He held a torch up to the newcomers silently, analyzing them from behind his mask. No one exchanged any words for a moment but when Sai finally nodded his head the handed over the torch, brushed past Sasuke, and descended into the hole. The Uchiha looked around at the small enclosure and realized with a shudder that the only way in or out was back through that hole.

He didn't have much time to contemplate that fact before Sai directed his attention to the only other door in the room. It opened with a heavy groan and led into a room that wasn't much bigger than the previous. Sai easily illuminated the dark space with his torch and a lump of cloth in the corner moaned at the intrusion. At the sound, a lump caught in Sasuke's throat and he took a step closer. The lump moaned again, turning towards the light and revealed a battered and bruised face. It was the face of a man that was nearly unrecognizable until his lips quirked into a lopsided smile.

"Sasu-bo...how the hell did you get here?"

 _ **To be continued…..**_

 _In our world_

 _we walk suspended over hell_

 _admiring flowers_

 ** _(Issa)_**


	43. Chapter 43

**CCNote:** **Thank you so much to everyone that has stayed on with this story. I know it's long but we are rounding into the home stretch! There was supposed to be an Imperial chapter here but I needed to insert this one first. It's the calm before the storm so to speak and it would be too jaunting to have it after. Within this chapter is 1 of 4 scenes that inspired this entire story. It has been a slog to get here but I'm so excited to share it. The other 3 will be popping up soon as well and my favorite chapter of all is rolling in. So please enjoy!**

 _In our world_

 _we walk suspended over hell_

 _admiring flowers_

 ** _(Issa)_**

 **Hana**

 _ **The Twenty-Seventh Fall of the Karasu**_

 _ **Location Unknown**_

… _ **.**_

When the soft sound of her snores reached his ears, Itachi let out a slow breath. Sleep was something Hanabi hated now, her dreams were now only plagued with memories that left her tossing and turning. It had gotten so bad that he had to hold her while she slept most nights or else she might end up hurting herself. At least at night she showed more of her true feelings than she did during her waking hours.

Itachi frowned as he recalled how unlike herself she had become. Five days of silence. No longer did she speak to him, relaying all her ideas and speculations. She closed in on herself with sunken eyes and feet that could only move forward. The bright, lucky dragon was gone and in its place was a shell of a girl. _He_ had done this.

What else did he think could have been the outcome….

… _It took them riding well through the night and into the next day but eventually they reached a small village to take refuge. The ambush against the Cloud had provided them with more than enough stolen coins to make it to the capital and beyond. As such, he did not see the need to hide in the forests if they could help it. It was much easier and faster to simply blend in as a pair of travelers than vagabonds._

 _It was all too easy for him to find a small inn with an owner that did not question his possession of a shellshocked girl and settled them in a room far away from other patrons. They were presented with a simple room, not much bigger than the attic at the okiya they'd left, but it would suit their needs just fine for the night. Their first order of business would be to rest so he ordered for warm water, soap, and a large washbasin be brought to the room._

 _He set up everything Hanabi would need to wash off the grime from their travels and then left her alone to find supplies for them in the village. He did not want to be gone from her for long. Any establishment that asked so few questions was not a reputable one in his book and the longer he was away, the more anxious he felt. Errands came first however._

 _The village itself was full of transient people so no one looked twice at his ruffled appearance. Keeping his hood pulled low over his face, he quickly purchased a change of clothing for himself and Hanabi and dried provisions to last until they reached the capital. When he returned to the inn, the door to the room remained locked but that was the only thing that put him at ease. Upon entering the room, he found Hanabi still sitting in the washbasin- whose water had long since grown cold- with her back to the door. A back that was covered in purple and black bruises from her struggle with the Cloud Commander._

" _Hanabi." He said and the girl slowly turned to look over her shoulder at him before returning her gaze to the opposite wall._

" _Oh. You're back." She said flatly, her voice hoarse from disuse._

 _She hadn't even realized he'd been gone or at least had no concept of the time. Her reaction was a far cry from the girl that always waited eagerly for his return. Itachi shook his head and stepped further into the room._

" _I've got a new yukata for you."_

 _Awkwardly he hoped that the prospect of new clothing would cheer her up a bit but it didn't._

" _You will get sick if you stay in that tub. Come out…please."_

 _Hanabi remained still and Itachi frowned. If coaxing was not going to work then tough-love was another route._

" _Get out of the tub Hyuuga."_

 _Once again she ignored him so he stooped down and put a hand on her shoulder. She immediately flinched at his touch and curled in on herself, burying her face in her knees._

" _I want my otou-san." She whispered._

" _Hanabi…"_

 _"He only wanted to protect me."_

 _Itachi rose to his feet and looked down at the Hyuuga who seemed to be shrinking rapidly._

 _"I have to tell him I'm sorry...I'm so sorry."…._

After that incident, he never left her alone again- not even to bathe. He wasn't sure how to handle her turning in on herself but the last thing she needed was to be alone. Itachi shook his head of the memory though her repeated apology never went away. _He_ should be the one asking for her forgiveness. He should have never put her in that situation.

She didn't even hate him for what he'd done either. She did not fault him for sending her into harm's way or neglecting to tell her about her father's death. Instead, she simply followed him, one foot in front of the other. She would have followed him to the ends of the earth if that was where he was headed.

Where else did she have to go anyway?

There was no Hyuuga clan for her to go back to. Even if there was, the dishonor of abandoning one's clan would be too much of a barrier to her return. No man of any stature or means would marry her. Although her virtue was still intact, she would bring nothing of value to their household. Conversely, Itachi doubted Hanabi wished to be married again in the first place. Sending her off with another man also did not sit right with his conscious. Any man she married would try to make her smaller and in turn miserable.

 _'It is much more likely that her husband will ultimately be the miserable one.'_

She might be numb now but she would feel again. She would return to her old self and not even the gods themselves could keep her pinned in. At this Itachi smirked and reached out to pull the blanket up to his sleeping companion's chin. Instead of foisting her off on some poor, unsuspecting soul it would be better if he kept her for now.

Of course, that was contingent upon _If_ they made it out alive. He had already promised Hinata that he would bring Hanabi to her side and that was the best place for her. He would have to find _where_ Hinata was for that to happen if she had decided to remarry into another clan. It was unlikely that she would have been able to find a willing match so quickly but it was still something to keep in mind.

For now, he needed to focus on getting to the capital and stopping his father from making one of the biggest mistakes of his life.

….

 _ **The Sixteenth Fall of the Suzume**_

 _ **Location Unknown**_

… _ **.**_

Sometimes it felt like it was too hard to breathe.

At others, it was the only thing she could do.

Each step forward was unremarkable unlike before. The new villages they entered no longer held the same interest. The animals they passed and the ever-changing terrain weren't exciting. The stars themselves no longer possessed her at night and made her imagination run wild. Nothing really mattered after all.

While she'd been out playing 'warrior' her father had been murdered. He had tried to protect her. He had fought against the elders to the detriment of the clan because he _loved her._ Despite all of his efforts she still ended up in the hands of the one man he sought to keep her away from. Her clan was likely in shambles because of her own selfishness.

The shame of her actions…

The loss she'd been ignorant of…

All of it compounded on her chest and, for the first time since she left, she felt… _regret_. Neji probably hated her and, if she knew of their father's demise, Hinata likely felt the same. She would never be able to face them. More than anything, she hated herself. She hated the fact that the Cloud Commander's face haunted her vision whether she were awake or sleeping. His cruel laugh consumed her thoughts and his touch… the memory of his touch was the worst of it all. And she _hated_ it. Why couldn't she get past this? Why?

Why?

 _'Why do I keep crying_?'

"Hanabi."

The Hyuuga snapped out of her thoughts to find Itachi looking down at her. As usually he was expressionless but she could feel the disappointment and irritation that radiated off of him in waves. She was such a failure.

"There is going to be a storm tonight. We will get a room here." He said and Hanabi sniffed and quickly wiped her face free from tears that had escaped her.

It would be unsightly for him to bring her into an establishment looking like even more of a wreck than she already was. Silently she followed him into the inn and barely listened to him negotiating a price with the owner. Apparently, the inn was nearly filled to the brim with travelers making their way to the capital and trying to take shelter from the incoming storm.

All around them people milled about, men especially looked at her ways that she'd never noticed before and it made her uncomfortable. No one within the Compound looked at her as something desirable or remarked on her looks. Why would they when Hinata was the one who inherited their mother's beauty? When she had been in the Uchiha encampment, she was surrounded by men who were bigger and stronger but she had never felt afraid or nervous.

Maybe it was because now she was clearly identifiable as a girl. Her hair had grown over the last few months from the messy bob Moegi had salvaged to barely brushing her collar bones. It didn't help that the yukata Itachi had bought her was a soft orange and yellow, simple but distinctly feminine. She would have liked it in the past but now it made her stand out too much. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed a sandy-haired man watching her from across the room. Tall and lanky, he was but half the size of the Cloud Commander. She could take him out quickly if she had to but as he approached her confidence diminished significantly.

"And who might you be?" he asked, boldly wrapping an arm around her shoulders. "Do you need a room for tonight?"

Swallowing nervously, she shook her head and tried to inch closer to Itachi as he continued to haggle with the inn owner. The man's arm tightened around her shoulders, keeping her firmly in place.

"C'mon, there's going to be a big storm tonight and this place is fully booked." He said huskily in her ear. Hanabi froze, unable to move or think as he pressed closer.

"I can make sure you stay dry…unless you _want_ to get wet-"

One minute his arm had been around her shoulders and the next he was sprawled out on the floor. The activity in the lobby of the inn ceased and the only sound heard was the moaning of the sandy-haired man now clutching his bloody nose. Hanabi looked from the man to Itachi, shocked that the Uchiha been able to react so quickly. For his part, he simply turned back to the inn owner with an icy cold tone.

"Now I believe you have a room available and I will go no higher than the price I said."

The withered old innkeeper gulped and nodded frantically, motioning for them to follow him. Itachi then grabbed her hand and pulled her shell shocked body along. As they walked the reality of the encounter began to sink in. What would she have done if Itachi wasn't here? Why hadn't she moved? She could have done _exactly_ what Itachi had done without batting an eye. It was what she had been trained for and yet all she could do was stand there.

Fortunately, it didn't take long for them to reach their room because with every step she took it felt as if her throat was swelling shut. As soon as the door closed behind them, she snatched her hand away from his and protectively held herself.

"Hanabi-" Itachi started and made a move to touch her again but she shook her head.

"Don't touch me." She whispered.

As soon as she said those words his hand fell and she regretted ever uttering them. It was a sickening feeling that churned in the pit of her stomach, threatening to make what little she'd managed to eat come up again. Why? Why was she so pathetic? Why didn't she defend herself?

Her body shook uncontrollably and she backed up until she reached the door. This room was too small. She had to get out but if she did, she would see that man again or worse. Hanabi squeezed her eyes closed in an effort to stymie the ensuing panic but the face of the Cloud Commander was the first thing she saw. Laughing at her. Belittling her. _Breaking_ her.

Suddenly a familiar warmth surrounded her. The smell of the earth filled her nose and her eyes snapped open. Itachi was…holding her. He was holding her so tightly…so close that she could hear his heartbeat. Strong and sure and safe just like all of the other times that she heard it. She felt herself relax in his arms and she hated herself for it. She hated her body for being pathetic and betraying her. Angrily she tried to push him away but it only made him hold on tighter.

"Let me go!" she hissed as she tried to squirm away.

"No."

No? _No?!_ How dare he! Hanabi struggled more , desperate to get out of his grasp. Out of his warmth.

"You're hurting me!"

"I know."

He wasn't hurting her. He knew that he wasn't and yet he conceded. Why? Why wouldn't he just let her go? Quickly her energy dissipated and she could only clutch at the front of his yukata. Her knuckles white and her eyes welling up with tears. His grip on her body lessened only enough for his to be able to scoop her up and take her to bed.

As soon as he set her on the bed, she scrambled away and turned her back to him. He didn't try to approach her again though half of her wanted him to. She wanted him to push. She wanted to be held again. She couldn't help the fact that every time he touched her... she wanted to run away.

He was her Commander.

She had promised to be of use to him and yet here she was. Curled in a ball and crying at the drop of a hat.

"I'm sorry." Hanabi murmured, flinching as the futon shifted and he sat next to her.

"Why are you apologizing?"

For being pathetic. For being a cry baby. For being selfish.

Incompetent.

Childish.

Weak.

"Hanabi." Itachi said, snapping her out of her thoughts. "I should be the one to ask your forgiveness."

Hanabi's eyes widened at his admission and she stared at the wall. What? Why would he say such a thing?

"I shouldn't have sent you into that room. You were not ready to take on a man like him. I did not expect him to take advantage of you in such a way either. If I had…I would have left with you the moment you came to me."

Her heart skipped a beat.

 _'Don't say that.'_

"It was a disservice to you."

 _'It wasn't. It wasn't your fault.'_

"For that and for your father, I'm so-"

"No!" Hanabi shouted before she could control herself. She sat up and looked at him directly. He looked shocked that she had even moved and the guilt in her heart mounted.

"Don't apologize to me. Not now, not ever okay! I won't accept it!"

"Hanabi-"

"I won't accept it!" she snapped back petulantly. "I just need to get stronger. I hate how weak I am. I hate it so much. Having _you_ feel sorry for me will just make everything worse!"

Itachi stared at her stunned for a moment before he looked away. She wasn't sure what to make of his reaction to her words. Was he angry that she yelled? Guiltily Hanabi crawled closer to his back and rested her forehead against him.

"I didn't mean to yell at you or make you worry about me. I wish…I wish that I was of more use to you and not some scared little girl."

Hanabi felt a chuckle vibrate through his back at her words and a small smile twitched at the corner of her lips.

"You ran away from home and managed to disguise yourself as a boy right under my nose for months on end. You were even better than many of the recruits in your age group and higher. It is rare to find someone take to a bow as well as you did."

He was exaggerating of course but the healed over blisters on her fingertips told a different story.

"You found my father and idiotically stood in his place for a beating. Then you jumped into an ocean although you don't know how to swim. You've never even seen an ocean."

She fisted the back of his yukata at the memory. Of the sting of the salt and the water that rushed over her head. How exhilarating it had been to take that first breath on the sand…

"You killed the Cloud Commander which will stall the allied forces long enough for us to get to arrive in the Capital unimpeded."

Hanabi shivered at this memory and sucked in a deep breath.

"You might be afraid and hurt but you are the furthest thing from a little girl Hanabi, no matter what you keep telling yourself."

Fat tears gathered and spilled down her cheeks. Her nose dribbled with snot and her heart clenched. His praise was too much. Hanabi choked, releasing his yukata to slip her arms around his waist and hugging him from behind. He was surprised by her embrace at first but a warm hand covered her own and didn't move away. The back of his yukata was slowly becoming soaked from her tears but she couldn't stop them. She couldn't stop her shaking.

So she held onto him tighter.

He was the last person in this world that she hadn't disappointed and she would not fail him. Not now. Not ever. Tonight was the last night she would cry because she wanted to be someone that deserved his high regard.

His praise.

 _'Thank you Itachi.'_

….

 _ **The Twenty-Seventh Fall of the Karasu**_

 _ **Ten miles from the Capital**_

… _ **.**_

Two days later the storm had cleared and they found themselves back out on the road. If they had been delayed two days, the allied forces were even more so. Moving an army was not an easy ordeal even in the best conditions over familiar terrain. Currently, they were only a few hours away from the capital now. A few hours away from heading off his father or walking into utter destruction. Yet despite the uncertainty that awaited them Itachi did not feel rushed. No matter what happened, he knew that he would end the day with blood on his hands.

"Itachi look!"

The Uchiha snapped out of his thoughts, surprised to find Hanabi tugging on the front of his yukata and waving at the field of flowers that surrounded them. This was the last leg of their journey. The outskirts of the Imperial city were surrounded with blooms from all over- many of which only bloom during the temperate days of Fall just before the first frost.

Travelers from all over this land and others dropped seeds on their journey over the centuries. This had led to the sparse forest trail containing more flowering plants than grass. It was quite the sight- especially for someone who had never seen so many blooms before. Hanabi turned away from the scene to look up at him with pleading eyes and he let out a huff.

"Can we stop please. Just for a few moments?" she pouted. "Please?"

She did not need to add the second please for he would have stopped even if the scenery wasn't so beautiful. Silently he led the horse off the well-trodden path and over to a more secluded area. Covered by trees but with no shortage of blooms, Itachi and Hanabi dismounted and tied the horse up to a tree branch. Giddily Hanabi clapped her hands and balanced on the balls of her feet.

"It's so pretty here! I can't believe it!"

"We will rest here for only a short time Hanabi." Itachi said as he noticed the excited gleam in her eyes. "Don't run off far."

The Hyuuga nodded enthusiastically, undeterred by his warning. She gave their black steed a pat before quickly bounding off into the forest. Part of him wanted to call her back. When she was out of his eyesight, he couldn't help but worry about her but she could handle herself. Sighing, he sank down to the base of a tree and leaned against it. The capital was only a few hours away. He had to look for his father. Presumably, he would have hidden out to lick his wounds at the Uchiha Manor.

The Manor was always fully staffed by clan members. They would surely be surprised by his father's arrival but aid him in whichever way was necessary. At the thought of the staff, Itachi closed his eyes and let out a slow breath through his nose.

Izumi was the head attendant for the Uchiha Manor. The mistress of the house and all of its goings ons. For someone as young as she was to hold the role was unorthodox but he owed her that much after sending her away. How long had it been since he'd last seen her? To be honest, he hadn't expected to see her again.

Out of duty to his future wife, he could not have his mistress within the District. Even if he had ceased all contact, there would be talk that would eventually reach Hinata's ears. He also could not deem Izumi to a life of watching him raise a family with a woman that was not her. That was no respectable way to live and at least within the Manor she would have a higher status.

He would see her again now and this time he would not be bound by duty.

Itachi waited for this fact to bring him some kind of relief. Excitement or wanting. Yet as he sat there, he could only furrow his brow. There was nothing. He could clearly remember her touch- her kiss but that familiar lustful stirring from his teenage years did not rise. He frowned but pushed the discrepancy from his mind. He did not have time to indulge in such thoughts away. His priority was finding his father and stopping him no matter what it took.

The Uchiha wasn't sure how long he sat there contemplating his next move but the rustle of grass alerted him to Hanabi's return. He kept his eyes closed as her mischievous giggle reach his ears and he had to stop himself from smiling. Did she think she was sneaky? Curious to see what her next move was, he remained still and waited.

The grass crunched as she sat in front of him, her short breath brushing over his face as she struggled not to laugh. It was when she placed something on his head that the dam finally broke loose and she laughed. It was from the pit of her stomach and genuine- a laugh he had not heard in weeks. Slowly he opened his eyes to find Hanabi smiling broadly at him, the corners of her pale eyes crinkled with pure amusement. On her head was a simple crown of small white flowers, her brown hair brushing her shoulders as she cocked her head slightly to the side and laughed harder.

"What is so funny?" he asked, reaching up to remove whatever was making her laugh.

His fingers brushed against something soft and he brought it down to see a thick crown of flowers. Unlike the simple one she had forged for herself, this crown was full and consisted of nearly every flower the girl could have gotten her hands on. It was distinctly unmanly but it seemed to give Hanabi joy. She had spent the better part of their break constructing it and was proud of her work. Pride. It suited her. Although the monstrosity of a flower crown did not suit _him_ , he put it back on without prompting. Hanabi reached up to meticulously fix some of the blooms he had crushed and centered it on his head the way that she liked. When her task was complete, she sat back and admired her work. A pink blush spread over her cheeks as she did so, an errant thought in that silly mind of hers must have embarrassed her. Itachi raised a single questioning brow at her and her blush deepened as she spoke in a soft voice.

"You look really pretty _Commander_." She confessed and Itachi blinked.

Pretty…that was a first.

He had been called many things within his life. Everything from a prodigy to a monster but never _pretty._ Oddly enough…he kind of liked it. In fact, he liked it a lot. Bashfully, Hanabi looked away and something even stranger but recognizable settled over him. It was something he had felt before in the moments he'd watched her train. When he watched her smile…sleep…cry…

A feeling he had tried to stir just moments before but to no avail…

 _'Itachi you really are a fool.'_

 _ **To be continued….**_


	44. Chapter 44

**CCNote:** **To people wondering about when Being an Uchiha will be updated. It will be updated AFTER this story is finished I promise. Please enjoy this chapter and don't forget to leave a REVIEW! They seriously mean a lot to me!**

 _This world of dew_

 _is a world of dew indeed;_

 _and yet..._

 ** _(Issa)_**

 **Stay**

 _ **The Twenty-first Fall of the Taka**_

 _ **Imperial City- Uchiha Manor**_

… _ **.**_

Getting Shisui out of imprisonment was the easy part.

Getting him to stay conscious for longer than a few minutes at a time was proving to be much more difficult.

Sasuke frowned as he regarded his older cousin lying prone on the bed. He was nearing his twenty-ninth year but looked considerably older. It didn't help that he was unable to move his legs, rendering him a cripple when he should be in the prime of his life. Upon his arrival at the Manor, he had enlisted the help of Kakashi and Izumi to clean him up and hide him away in a spare room. Not even Hinata knew that Shisui was with them though she was too busy with other things to have noticed if he told her. It was for the best that the fewer people who knew of the stolen prisoner the better.

A prisoner.

The youngest General in the Uchiha's forces and Itachi's right hand had been reduced to a prisoner. Sasuke never thought that such a fate would have been possible. Most of their men would rather take their own lives than be reduced to torture and confinement. If Shisui's abysmal condition told him anything it was that _he should be dead._ After Izumi had cleaned him up she had determined that it was nothing short of stubbornness that kept him breathing.

Stubbornness or loyalty.

Shisui would not have left his brother's side unless he had been ordered to- this Sasuke knew for certain. The two were practically inseparable while they were growing up since Shisui was Itachi's mentor until the younger Uchiha surpassed him by leaps and bounds. So then what was he doing trapped underneath the Capital? As he tried to untangle the situation, the man in question stirred and Sasuke quickly moved to his side. Dark eyes struggled to open and were just barely able to achieve such a feat.

"Shisui." Sasuke said and the older Uchiha slowly turned his head.

"It really is you…I thought I was hallucinating again." He rasped. "I'm glad. Where… are we?"

"The Uchiha Manor."

"That's good …that's good. I'm happy to see you but…where…where is Itachi?"

"I should be asking _you_ that question." Sasuke frowned. "Itachi is now classified as a traitor to Konoha."

"A _traitor_?" Shisui chuckled, wincing in pain despite himself. "That's interesting."

Sasuke leaned away from his cousin and let out a short huff. _'Interesting'_ was all he had to say about this situation? From the futon, Shisui groaned and turned his head up to the ceiling with great difficulty.

"You don't really believe that do you?"

Belief…did it ultimately matter what he believed any more? At one point he was supposed to _believe_ that his brother was dead. Now he was to _believe_ that he had abandoned his troops and was aiding the enemy. By tomorrow he was likely to have another frame of mind…

"Why were you being held captive?" Sasuke asked, pushing thoughts of his brother aside but Shisui tiredly smirked in response.

"He's not a traitor Sasuke. Itachi…he does things for a reason though I may not always agree with his methods. Ultimately he has _your_ best interest at heart. The least you can do… is trust him."

"Shisui…" Sasuke started but he was already beginning to lose consciousness again.

Frustrated, Sasuke ran a hand through his hair and let out a long sigh. Trust. That was something he had in short supply.

"Uchiha-sama."

Sasuke looked away from Shisui to Izumi standing by the door, her gaze carefully avoiding his as she had been trained. He motioned for her to enter the room and she did so with a stiff bow before checking on the now unconscious Shisui. It was odd how comfortable she was seeing him again. She wasn't even surprised when he dragged Shisui in through a side door and swore her to secrecy. No matter what he did, Izumi was always there to look out for him.

"He seems to be doing better than earlier." She said, standing up once she finished her cursory examination. "I will bring in some water for him to have when he wakes up again."

Sasuke nodded and rose from his spot on the floor. It would be a few hours before Shisui awoke again and there was so much work that needed to be done.

"Uchiha-sama, is there anything else that you request of me this evening?" Izumi asked as he turned to leave the room.

He paused for a moment at her benign question. Whatever happened in this room Izumi would not tell a soul.

"Izumi." He started, his hands itching to clench beneath the sleeves of his yukata. "Do you trust Itachi?"

"Of course."

The older woman didn't even blink at his question.

No surprise.

No hesitation.

"What if he had abandoned our troops? Would you still trust his judgment?"

"Yes."

"If he aided the enemy?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

At this Izumi pressed her lips together in a tight line and squared her shoulders.

"Uchiha-sama if I may be so bold…why do you not?" she asked. "If Itachi is alive and he has done the things you accuse of him, I suspect there is more to the story. We have all made sacrifices for the clan and do things that others may frown upon. In the end, it is always for the best."

For the best…

Sasuke frowned and left the room. He should trust his brother just as much as Shisui and Izumi. He should be steadfast in his loyalty but as Izumi said, they all made sacrifices for the betterment of the clan.

…

 _ **The Twentieth Fall of the Hato**_

 _ **Imperial City- Uchiha Manor**_

… _ **..**_

Hinata stared unseeingly at the darkened garden of the Uchiha Manor. How long she had been there she couldn't say. Everything that had happened earlier that day was such a blur.

Waking up to a silent room.

Distant cries of her lonely niece next door.

The doctor proclaiming Tenten to be dead.

No matter how many times she replayed the events in her head, she couldn't make heads or tails of it. They carted Tenten's body away so quickly that she barely had a chance to say goodbye. She didn't even look dead…merely sleeping. Only sleeping. Yet her chest didn't move. Her heart didn't beat. Hinata feared that she wasn't much different from her friend as she mechanically made arrangements for her burial in the Hyuuga tradition.

After all, Tenten was a Hyuuga in everything but name and deserved to rest that way.

So she drew from the vague memories of her mother's passing the day Hanabi had been born. It was disjointed and fuzzy but it was the best that she could do. There would be no cremation or a week-long ceremony the way that the Uchiha favored their dead. No, she would be buried expeditiously- faster than a tombstone could be erected within the Capital. It was bad luck to keep the vessel of a loved one in the house, especially where there was a fragile new life.

Once Tenten was taken away and her niece settled in the care of Kurenai, Hinata found herself bereft of anything to do. She tried to throw herself into replying to correspondence from the District but the ink on the scrolls kept getting smudged by her tears. When she ate, she could keep nothing down and walking on her shaky legs for too long left her winded. The only small respite she found was in the garden, desperately trying to think of nothing. It had worked for a while but now…now she felt that all too familiar darkness creeping into her heart. Not even the comfort her mother's necklace usually provided was able to anchor her. It only reminded her of the loss that brought it into her possession.

Why did it seem like everyone she cared about left her?

Through death or otherwise…who would be the next to leave?

It was then that a rustling from the bushes caught the Uchiha's attention. Hinata blinked and tried to focus on where the sound was coming from, torn between running back into the Manor and going closer to investigate. The choice was made by the culprit dragging themselves out a nearby bush as if rising from a grave.

Hinata let out a scream in surprise and jumped to her feet. Covered from head to toe in black rags, the intruder flinched violently at the shrill sound she made and the rush of feet that stampeded into the garden. Unbeknownst to her, Sasuke had placed several guards in the shadows around the Manor's property and they primarily concentrated on her whereabouts when she wasn't inside. Never before had she been more grateful to see the navy uniform of the Uchiha's warriors as they quickly apprehended the intruder. Two of them restrained the hooded intruder while another drew their weapons and shielded her from the threat.

"Let go of me you imbeciles!" the intruder growled as he feebly struggled against the firm hold of the guards. "Don't you know what you're doing?"

"Quiet. You are the one sneaking onto clan property." One of the guards hissed.

" _Clan property?!_ " the man said through clenched teeth. "This is _my_ property."

Confused the guard pulled off the intruder's hood to reveal none other than the long thought dead Uchiha Commander-Fugaku. Hinata's breath hitched in her throat at his haggard and travel-worn appearance. She had only met the man once but one never forgot an intimidating presence such as his. The guards restraining Fugaku immediately helped him up to his feet while the other two sheathed their weapons and bowed deeply. Fugaku simply sneered at them as they groveled for forgiveness before turning his dark eyes onto Hinata.

"You-what are _you_ doing here?" he asked and Hinata stared back, slack-jawed at his sudden appearance.

"I-um- I-"

His dark eyes narrowed at her fumbling and he took a step towards her. Unsure of what to do, the guards stood by and threw nervous glances at one another. Hinata swallowed as he approached but did not avert her gaze. Whether it was because of her last shred of bravery or stupidity, she couldn't look away.

"Your place is in the District girl not galivanting in the Capital. You _do not_ belong here under any circumstances. So tell me girl… _why_ are you here?"

"The District…we came to get- to get help." Hinata stammered and Fugaku's eyes widened a fraction at the news.

"What is going on?" a booming voice demanded from the covered walkway of the Manor.

Hinata looked back in the voice's direction and felt a swell of relief at the sight of Sasuke bounding towards them. He stopped in his tracks, however, the moment he met eyes with his father.

"Ah… _you're_ here as well. Why am I not surprised?" Fugaku spat.

That disdainful greeting was all Fugaku managed to say before his eyes rolled into the back of his head and he collapsed. The stunned guards scrambled to scrap the older man from the ground and looked to Sasuke for their next orders.

 **…..**

Hinata knew that others had less than ideal relationships with their fathers. Her own had not been the most affectionate parent but she knew that he had cared deeply for her, her sister, and Neji. The same could not be said for the relationship between Sasuke and Fugaku. The only concern he showed to his father was making sure that the staff taking care of him would be at his beck and call the moment he awoke. For his part though, Sasuke stayed as far away from his room as possible. Instead, he stayed up all night in his study…well his study _for now_.

Just like Sasuke, she hadn't slept the night before. Her body was exhausted but her mind refused to settle long enough to get any sleep. In an effort to distract herself, she cuddled her niece when she awoke during the night and took care of her needs as best as she could until Kurenai was roused for feedings. Since the newborn Hyuuga was currently occupied with being fed and she didn't wish to be alone, Hinata left to seek out her husband.

As always Kakashi stood on guard and let her enter the room with just a polite nod of his head. Inside, Sasuke was sat at the low lying table in the center of the room. Scattered about were scrolls of varying import but it was evident by the exhaustion on his face that he was absorbing none of the information.

"Sasuke." Hinata started as she approached him and he looked up at her slowly.

"Is something wrong?" he asked.

Hinata shook her head and came to sit next to him. She couldn't blame him for thinking that yet another pivotal event had happened. The last three days had been a trying whirlwind for them both.

"You should get some sleep." She said softly and he snorted.

"There is too much to do."

She bit her bottom lip and glanced at some of the scrolls he had and one in particular caught her eye. It was embossed with the Emperor's seal and detailed all of the supplies and extra mean that would be sent to the District soon. Her heart flipped and a tired smile quirked at the corners of her lips. The Emperor had honored their request. Noticing her gaze, Sasuke picked up the scroll and rescanned the contents quickly.

"You will have to return to the District with the convoy that the Emperor is sending. It's not safe for you to stay here with reports of the enemy getting closer." Sasuke said solemnly and Hinata shook her head.

Leave? If she were to leave what about him?

"If it's not safe for me to be here, it's not safe for you either."

Sasuke's eyes softened a bit at her words and his lips quirked into a smirk.

"Hn. Worried?" he teased as he leaned in to kiss her but Hinata turned her head.

The longer she thought about returning the Uchiha District, the more reluctant she became to doing so. Since she had arrived in her seventeenth winter, Sasuke had always been in her life. Familiar pangs from when he sent her away the first time twisted in her heart.

"Sasuke…please don't send me away. Not again." She whispered selfishly.

The Uchiha sighed and set the scroll down.

"I don't have much of a choice. You will be safer with the convoy of extra men and supplies."

"So will you."

"Hinata I can't go back. Not yet."

"Why?"

"It's …complicated."

He pulled away from her then with a frown on his face. She didn't want to argue with him or question his decisions but on this she needed clarification. Why couldn't he come back with her? Why must he now leave her side? She would not recover if she lost him too…

 _'Do you love Sasuke?'_

The question replayed in her mind and this time she knew her answer. Out of everyone in this world, he was her constant. They worked well together for the benefit of the clan and she respected how much he was willing to do for his people. She admired how strong he remained through all of the changes that had brought them together and the deference he always gave to her whether he knew it or not.

There was so much that she didn't know about him but she wanted to know. She wanted to spend the rest of her life figuring him out- what made him angry or sad. What made him _happy_. She couldn't do that if she were not by his side. Life, as she had learned quite well over the past year, was fleeting. No matter how long or short their time would be together that was precisely how she wanted to spend it.

Together.

Gathering her courage, she gently cupped his cheek and turned his face back to her.

"If it is as complicated as you say, just…just explain to me what's going on. Whatever it is I will try my best to understand you so please…trust me." Hinata said before she brushed her lips chastely against his own.

At least she had _intended_ for the kiss to be chaste but as with everything in their lives, nothing was ever so simple. It only took a single spark before she found herself hungrily responding to his kisses and matching his fervor with her own. When her back touched the floor, all other priorities and fears faded to a dull thrum into her mind.

All that mattered was him.

….

 _ **The Twenty-first Fall of the Taka**_

 _ **Imperial City**_

… _ **..**_

It was quiet here with only the dead for company.

Despite the hasty nature of the burial, Sasuke couldn't help but feel impressed by Hinata's arrangements for their former ward. Or rather… _her friend_. Tenten's final resting place had been dug away from the other graves under the vibrant shade of a fledgling oak. In a few weeks, a stone tombstone would be erected in that very spot but Hinata would not be around to see it or tend to the area. For now, the only respect she could give to the dead was to visit the grave now for the first and perhaps only time.

Sasuke watched from a short distance as Hinata brought their niece over to where her mother would be buried. Her lips were moving but her voice was too soft to be heard. It was a conversation only meant for their niece's and Tenten's ears. Behind him, Kakashi and Kurenai waited patiently and further back were several more guards. After rescuing Shisui he was only waiting for the Shogunate's retaliation. It wasn't a matter of 'if' but 'when'.

Being that this was the case, he had the staff in the Manor begin to pack up the necessities and as many members that could be spared. Only a select few would remain behind to help him care for Shisui and his father. The rest would leave the Capital in two days for the District under the protection of the Emperor and he would stay behind. Hinata was particularly upset over him staying-a fact which was surprising to discover. She wanted to stay with him and, despite his better judgment, he was tempted to let her.

 _'Please…trust me.'_

He needed to trust her. He needed to tell her everything and he would. She would only grow to resent him if he didn't and that was the last thing he wanted. He had already spent most of his life in the dark when it came to his family's affairs. Just as he became resolute in his decision, the sound of bells made his blood turn to ice within his veins.

The bells grew louder and more insistent. Hinata nervously stood up from the side of Tenten's grave and looked back at him confused and frightened. Sasuke glanced at Kakashi who already had a hand on the hilt of his katana, ready to fight at a moment's notice.

 _'Dammit._ ' The Uchiha cursed and motioned for Hinata to come to his side.

She did so quickly and they moved through the graveyard as a unit, the guards encircling them the moment they got close. Outside of the graveyard people left their homes-flinging open windows and doors to the frantic chime of the bells. When the ringing finally stopped, the people stood still as if frozen in place. Sasuke, however, kept moving. Those bells could only mean one thing.

As they hurried through the crowded but suspiciously silent streets, Sasuke chanced a look in the direction of where he knew the palace to be. He couldn't see it but the large black plume of smoke on the bright blue sky was enough of a confirmation.

The Emperor was dead.

…..

 _ **The Sixteenth Fall of the Suzume**_

 _ **Imperial City**_

… _ **.**_

 _'How are we going to find the old man?'_ Hanabi mused as she tried to take in the hustle and bustle of the city.

The capital city was everything she had envisioned and more. The streets were far cleaner than any they had encountered so far and the people much less menacing. The clothing that they wore was more varied and vibrant, making her self conscious about her now well-worn yukata. As with all of the villages they visited people tended to do a double-take the moment they made eye contact with her but none dared to approach her.

It was likely because of the tense air Itachi gave off as he cut through the crowd. Although he wore a hood, people automatically skirted out of his way, sensing death was imminent if they were to stand too close. It was actually kind of amusing since Itachi was the furthest thing from scary in her opinion. Smiling to herself, Hanabi kept close to the Uchiha until a frantic ringing stopped both of them in their tracks.

She looked around at their surroundings, perplexed as the air was filled with the sound of bells and people leaving their houses. They all stared up at the sky just a confused as she was. In her right hand, she clutched her newly purchased bow just a little bit tighter while she reached out with her left to tug on Itachi's black cloak.

"Itachi?" she asked in a low voice but the Uchiha did not answer.

Instead, he grabbed her free hand and pulled her through the rapidly thickening crowd. Hanabi swallowed and focused solely on matching his pace. Now was not a time for being confused, she needed to be alert and ready.

She would not be a hindrance to Itachi.

Determined, they weaved in and out of the crowd until it became too thick to move. People unreasonably pushed and shoved each other as they tried to get out of the way of something. Undeterred, Itachi tightened his grip on her hand and moved against the grain-elbowing people out of the way when needed. More than once her foot was stepped on and her heels scrapped but she did not let go of his hand or her bow.

When they made it through the melee, they were met with the sight of a slow-moving group of guards struggling to get through the streets. They wore a familiar navy uniform that she herself had worn for months before she'd decided to follow a certain Uchiha into the forest. The Uchiha symbol was embroidered proudly on their backs, their hands on their swords in case of an attack. Although they were an intimidating presence but were still being jostled by the rapidly anxious crowd. They kept their cool though, their ring of protection tightening as they moved.

Itachi tugged her forward and a small gap in the Uchiha formation revealed something that she never thought she'd see again. Long dark hair so unlike her own spilled over a black kimono. The way she stood tall without a hint of nerves despite the chaos going on around them. Many people would call her crazy but she knew. She _knew_ this to be her sister. Without a second thought, Hanabi let go of Itachi's hand and ran towards the protective circle.

"Hinata! Hinata!" she shouted though she feared her voice would not reach her.

However, Hanabi still ran. Even if her sister hated her. Even if this was not how she wanted them to meet. She had to see her after all these years. It was too loud here for her call to reach. She would never be able to be loud enough for her sister to hear her but she had to try.

"Hinata!"

As if pulled by a force of the gods, Hinata turned around and large pale eyes met her own. For a moment she stood shocked and her eyes widened as if she'd seen a ghost. Then her mouth moved but no sound reached Hanabi's ears. It didn't have to though. Hinata said it again and again, desperate to escape from the protective ring that surrounded her. Hanabi struggled to push through the crowd on her one-fervent to not let the elder Hyuuga out of her sight. She knew exactly what her sister was saying as tears welled up freely in both of their eyes.

 _'Hanabi.'_

 _ **To be continued…**_

 _Dew evaporates_

 _and all our world is dew-_

 _so dear, so fresh, so fleeting_

 ** _(Issa)_**


	45. Chapter 45

**_CCNote_ : Hey y'all! The road using a degree in international affairs is a long and winding one but guess who got a full-time job in her career field! This girl! Now its time to get 1-2 yrs of experience under my belt and study for the state department exam in the meantime. Before that, the official start date for my new job isn't for a while so I'll have lots of time to work on this story until then. (Unless I decide to pick up a seasonal job for extra funds lol)**

 **ANYWAY shout out to Mel in the Mitten for her fabulous reviews (i missed them alot and I hope you aren't feeling so sick anymore) and also a HUGE thanks to everyone else that left a review. I really do appreciate them immensely! As always please enjoy this chapter, ignore my glaringly horrible typos, and don't forget to leave a REVIEW!**

 _Dew evaporates_

 _and all our world is dew-_

 _so dear, so fresh, so fleeting_

 ** _(Issa)_**

 **One Last Time**

 ** _The Twentieth Fall of the Hato_**

 ** _Imperial City_**

...

The moment she spotted her sister in the crowded marketplace, Hinata was positive that her stress and grief had finally gotten the best of her. Whether a doppelgänger or a mirage of her own creation- Hanabi was standing before her. Her feet moved of their own accord as she pushed through the ring of Uchiha guards and the general public. It was almost suffocating trying to get through them. The sight of her sister reaching for her was blurred by her own tears and anxious bodies jostling between them.

So _many_ bodies.

The Uchiha matriarch desperately struggled to get through despite her guards yelling for her to stop. She ignored the people who stepped on her feet and pushed her aside. Hanabi's slight frame was easily swayed by the crowd and only bits of her soft orange yukata kept her visible in the gaps. Still, Hinata persisted until Hanabi slammed in her arms at full force.

Disorienting and euphoric, she didn't mind that all of the air had been knocked out of her lungs. It was unreal to hold her though it was also difficult due to the weapons in her possession. Relief flooded over her to feel that she was real and breathing and alive. Instead of the scrawny twelve-year-old she'd left behind, Hanabi had grown. If she was not mistaken, they were actually the same height now! No longer could she tuck the younger Hyuuga's head beneath her chin! She would likely grow a few inches more but a pang of sadness hit Hinata's heart at missing so much of the progress. How many winters had it been since she last saw her? Since she made the promise to send for Hanabi and bring her into the Uchiha. It was a promise she had failed to keep but here she _was._

Hinata chocked out a sob as her sister let go of her only so far as to see her face. Unable to help herself, Hinata touched the short brown locks of her hair. A Hyuuga's hair was always an unspoken source of pride and yet-

"You cut your hair!" she whimpered in shock and Hanabi let out a watery laugh reaching up to finger the locks as well.

"It used to be a lot shorter!"

Hinata moved to embrace her sister once more but a tall figure in a hood approached them like a shadow.

"Hanabi." A deep voice said, tight and tinged with irritation.

The voice was strangely familiar and sent a chill down Hinata's spine. Unalarmed, Hanabi turned to the figure with a smile.

"Look who I found!"

"Hinata!" Sasuke called behind her and the heavy-footed march of Uchiha guards accompanied him.

The woman in question quickly spun around to find her husband hurrying towards her with his hand on a partially unsheathed katana. Guilt racked her as she could see the worry etched on his face. She shouldn't have run away like she had but surely he would understand. If Itachi were standing in Hanabi's place, he would not have hesitated. She tried to put on a reassuring smile but that quickly failed the moment Sasuke opened his mouth.

"We need to go. It isn't safe here." He growled in a low voice as the Uchiha guards surrounded them.

"Wait-" Hinata desperate not to lose sight of her sister or the shadow the loomed over her but the guards had created a human barrier between them.

"Uchiha-sama, we must leave now. The crowd is growing restless." One of the guards said and Sasuke nodded, taking her hand in his.

Hinata snatched it away.

"I can't go. Hanabi-"

"Hinata!"

Her sister tried to approach the circle but the guards directly in front of her looked as if ready to draw their blades. At first, she didn't understand why they would consider Hanabi a threat but one glance at the bow in her hand and a full quiver of arrows on her back were enough to make her suspicious. Women without ulterior motives did not carry weapons. Still, this was her little sister. She was of no danger to anyone.

"Stop!" Hinata ordered firmly and the men hesitated from unsheathing their weapons further.

"Hinata-" Sasuke growled but she rounded on him, her eyes narrowed.

"I will _not_ leave without my sister."

At this Sasuke's eyes softened from frustration to concern and he finally looked towards the wall of guards.

"Stand down." He commanded and waved for them to let the interloper into the protective circle.

Hinata let out a small breath she was holding. She understood Sasuke's protectiveness, the panicked tension of the crowd also set her on edge, but she refused to take another step without Hanabi by her side. The girl in question stepped forward into the ring, her head held high and defensive as she glared at the guards. Hinata resisted the urge to hug her again and ask a million questions, there would be plenty of time for that once they reached the safety of the Manor.

Oddly enough however, when Hinata looked around for the shadow that had approached her sister they were nowhere to be found. Somehow they had melted away into the melee of confusion but Hanabi appeared nonpulsed. Instead, she defiantly walked right up to Hinata's side and looped her arm with her own. All thoughts of the stranger vanished from her mind and she smiled from her sister to her husband- though he did not look pleased.

"Sasuke, this is Hanabi. Hanabi, Sasuke."

Hanabi simply sniffed and tilted her chin slightly in his direction. The brazen behavior surprised Hinata. Hanabi had not been raised to be this impolite but she held her tongue. She had no idea where her sister had been nor what she'd done to make it to this market place in one piece. Sasuke quirked a brow at her for the disrespect but remained silent before turning to the guards and signaling for them to proceed towards the Manor.

It was not a moment too soon either because the bells tolled again.

 **…..**

 **The Twenty-Seventh Fall of the Karasu**

 **Uchiha Manor**

 **...**

The Uchiha Manor was a flurry of activity when he arrived. So much so that his presence went unnoticed. Startling but understandable. The Capital's bells tolled only for the royal family. With the birth of a new Emperor and the death of an old one. He had a feeling that the latter was the likely answer to the chaos that had ensued in the marketplace.

Still, he could not risk most of the servants milling about to see him. What he had to do- if his hunch was correct- would be best accomplished without witnesses. That was why he'd left Hanabi behind. When he'd first felt her slip away from him, an unfamiliar fear set in that she had been snatched away by the crowd. It was all too easy for her to be trampled. With a one-track mind on retrieving her, he hadn't even noticed she had found her sister until he'd come upon the two.

She had beamed at him so brightly- the joy in her eyes reigniting with an excitement that had long since been dormant. His promise to Hinata was now complete and Hanabi would be safe. For now at least. It was also a relief that Hinata had not been hard to find but also worrying. What was she doing in the Capital? They must have found another clan for her to marry into.

He would have liked to have stayed longer but he had a task to complete. In a split-second decision, he left Hanabi as soon as he caught a glimpse of an Uchiha uniform. If some of the guards were away from the Manor, it would make it easier for him to get inside. At least that had been his intention anyway.

Itachi frowned from his hiding place behind a tree in the courtyard. His gut told him that his father was here. _Where_ exactly he might be was another issue. He did not have the luxury of searching the entire Manor either. It was just as he was racking his thoughts that someone caught his eye. Izumi was coming down the path of the courtyard, her arms filled with freshly washed sheets.

She hadn't changed at all since that last time he'd seen her. When she had begged for him to not send her away. Itachi shook his head of the thought. Now was not the time for reminiscing. Now was a time for action and Izumi had presented the perfect opportunity to him. Just as she was about to pass his hiding place, he picked up a pebble and threw it into her path. She stopped and turned in his direction, her eyes narrowing suspiciously.

"Who's there?" she demanded coldly. "This is the property of the Uchiha clan. All trespassers risk execution."

Itachi let out a short breath of amusement through his nose. Her dedication to her duty had not changed over the years either.

"You would have me executed?" he asked as he stepped out from behind the tree.

Izumi's mouth fell open as she took in his sudden appearance. The sheets she was holding slipped from her grasp as well, quickly becoming sullied by garden soil.

"Itachi." She whispered, her voice thick with disbelief.

When he nodded, she quickly moved towards him and pushed him back to hiding behind the tree. It brought back memories of a time when he would return to the Shiro from long campaigns and the moments he saw her again. Of kisses and passion and longing that needed to be filled after being apart. She was still beautiful, maybe even more so now that he was able to see her up close, and yet it didn't strike him the same way it once did…

"Itachi, you can't be here." She whispered, warily poking her head out from behind the tree to ensure that they were still alone. "Everyone thinks you're dead."

"Dead?" Itachi replied. "Why would you think that?"

" _I_ never thought that. You are far too stubborn to die, besides Shisui told me about your plan."

Itachi froze. Shisui was here? He shouldn't be. He should be in the District... organizing the troops to defend the capital.

"I know it is not my place to question you but why did you leave? Sasuke thinks you're a traitor-"

"Sasuke? Where is he? Why is he in the capital?"

At his insistence Izumi took a half step back, her head bowed and gaze stubbornly on the ground.

"Sasuke's whereabouts and actions are for him to explain to you."

Itachi found himself irritated by her words. Sasuke had every right to not think highly of him at the moment. If Shisui was here in the Capital, that meant he had been burdened with the responsibilities of the clan. Their mother could only do so much and the pressure from the elders to bend him to their will…This was not the life he'd wished for his brother to have. Itachi frowned. Perhaps the District was no longer safe? If that were the case then-

"Is my mother here as well?" he asked.

There was no way she would have willingly allowed Sasuke to traverse Konoha in the middle of an invasion. Especially not after they had received word of their father's capture. There always needed to be someone to carry on the family line residing within the Shiro.

"Itachi…I'm sorry but…she's dead." Izumi said finally, shrinking back as silent waves of anger and frustration wafted off of him. "They say it was suicide."

Suicide. The word was rancid on his tongue.

 _'One does not plant trees to enjoy the shade himself.'_

Itachi's upper lip curled at the thought.

'What did you plant father? What has grown but weeds?'

His mother was dead…

Did his father even know the harm he'd caused?

Shaking his head, Itachi took a deep breath and shoved the sadness he felt to the recesses of his mind. He had no use for it. Izumi glanced at him fearfully but he didn't feel guilty about it. Her discomfort was of no use to him either.

"Take me to Shisui." Itachi said.

He needed answers and Shisui was the best place to start. Izumi opened her mouth to protest but the glare he sent her was enough to make her cow to his will. He pulled his hood back over his head and she quickly led him through the empty courtyard and into a rarely used side entrance. The hall was empty as they walked towards the end of it and paused outside of the door. Izumi turned to him, hesitant to open the door.

"Things have _changed_ while you were away."

Itachi pressed his lips in a tight line.

"Now that you're back…you must retake your place as Head of the clan." She said firmly and slid open the shoji door to Shisui's room.

Retake his place as Head? He had never actually held the position in the first place. Whatever Izumi was concerned about mattered little to him. Clan politics were the last thing he was worried about right now. Frowning, Itachi entered the room and she quickly closed the door behind him. There was nothing inside except for his cousin who peered up at him through swollen eyes from a futon. Shisui looked worse than he had ever seen him. His eyes were nearly swollen shut, his lip split and jaw stiff. His injuries were likely more extensive but the blankets pulled up to his neck him them from view.

"Shisui." Itachi called as he approached his cousin's side.

The older Uchiha blinked rapidly at the sight of him and struggled to sit himself up.

"Itachi…took you long enough, cousin."

Crouching next to him, Itachi helped Shisui to sit upright and leaned him against the wall. The sheer effort of doing such a simple action caused Shisui's breath to escape in a shudder.

"You're in pain." Itachi said flatly but his cousin only chuckled darkly.

"It could be worse. I could still have feeling in my legs."

"Shisui-"

"Hey now." Shisui interrupted. "If you start blaming yourself for my current condition, I _will_ get angry with you. I knew what I was getting myself into."

"You couldn't have expected _this_ Shisui. You were only supposed to tell the Emperor of the encroaching forces-"

"Well, in that, I failed. On my way to the capital, there was so much destruction. The Sand invaders were simply toying with the areas to the West as if they had no interest in going further to the Capital like we suspected they would."

Itachi frowned. The route he and Hanabi had taken from the East was relatively unscathed. The forces must have split up…or maybe they had been in place long before. Just waiting for the right moment to wreak havoc.

Shisui sighed and took another shuddering breath. Itachi closed his eyes and waited for him to recover what little of his strength he had left.

"Danzo intercepted me before I was ever able to reach the Emperor and alert him to what I had witnessed and request extra troops. Do you remember how difficult it was to recruit from other clans at the beginning of our campaign?"

Itachi nodded. He remembered the intransigence of the Inuzuka, Aburame, and countless other houses of note in between. He had simply put it off as the rescue of his father was coming too close behind the last campaign. They did not want to send their sons off to die in yet another endeavor. As selfish as it was, Itachi understood the sentiment.

"I can't say for sure but I think Danzo was part of the reason they wouldn't help even though they were sworn to. I think…I think he is planning to overthrow the Emperor."

"I fear that it may have already happened."

"The bells?"

Itachi didn't answer. The silence that fell over them was enough of a confirmation. Shisui smirked limply and blinked up at the ceiling through swollen eyes.

"So, what did you find on your suicide mission. I'm guessing it didn't go as planned."

"Nothing ever does." Itachi huffed indignantly. "Those Sand forces you came across are minuscule compared to what I saw in the East. They were probably just scouts for the area that got carried away. The bulk of them will be descending upon the Capital soon with the Cloud once they regroup."

"The Cloud? Those bastards. They don't know how to accept defeat do they."

 _'The people have heard._ '

It was an idle warning at the time. A cryptic one that Itachi hadn't taken seriously but should have. The Uchiha had gotten cocky and, if it were up to the Cloud, their blood would coat the streets in a few days. At his side, Shisui let out another shaky breath.

"By the way…what has become of the Hyuuga?"

Itachi smirked at Shishui's question, a revelation overcoming him.

"You knew who she was and made her keep an eye on me didn't you?" he grunted and Shisui smiled.

"Someone had to while I was away, trouble always seems to follow you Itachi. Honestly, I'm surprised you didn't send her away the minute you found out she was a girl but… I'm glad she kept her promise."

 _'Kept her promise indeed.'_ He thought.

Itachi sighed and ran a hand through his hair. Out of the corner of his eye, he noted a small ceramic pitcher and a cup within reach. He was almost positive that Shisui would not be able to drink it on his own without help. So he filled the cup halfway with a rather gruesome looking green liquid. In his current state, food would be hard to keep down. Itachi could only hope that this ghastly alternative would help. When he handed it over, Shisui accepted it gratefully with a small smile but didn't drink it.

"Hanabi thinks highly of you." Itachi said. "When you recover, she will be expecting your full attention."

"Is that so…" Shisui bemused as he stared deeply into his glass. "I wish I had more time to train her. She has the potential to become quite the warrior. Perhaps…when this is all over…you should think about allowing women into the ranks. Uchiha women are quite fierce."

The corner of the Commander's lips quirked into an almost smile at the prospect. Female warriors within the Uchiha. If they were like Hanabi they would surely be a force to be reckoned with.

"Since it is your idea you will have to take responsibility of them. It will not be as simple as training archers."

"No…I don't believe it will. Unfortunately, I won't be able to see it through with you."

Itachi frowned at Shisui's answer. What was he talking about?

"Shisui…you will recover in time."

"I won't…but that's okay." He said with a weak shrug of his shoulders. "I'd rather die on my own terms than by Danzo's. I'm just happy I got to see you again."

Itachi looked at the glass he had handed over in a new light, one of death. Despite holding his demise, Shisui's hands didn't shake nor did his voice waver. He was resolute and there was nothing he could do to sway him from this decision.

"I know you don't need me to tell you this but… protect the clan. Fugaku was much too ambitious and put everyone at risk. He's trying to do what's right but Sasuke is going to need you more than ever now."

Protect the clan…

Take back the position of Head…

So much was now added to his once shortlist that merely consisted of stopping his father.

With nothing more to say Shisui lifted the glass to his lips and drained its green contents with a slight grimace. It was likely not the best thing to taste before one died but it would get the job done.

"Izumi certainly has become skilled with her poisons." He mumbled before reaching out to Itachi with his free hand.

His hand was far too frail for a man his age but Itachi accepted it nonetheless. He gave his cousin's hand a squeeze and watched as his eyes closed. They waited in silence, a peace that Shisui likely hadn't experienced in a long time.

When his hand finally went limp Itachi did not immediately let go. Instead, he gave it a final squeeze and wondered if the afterlife was as the Uchiha predicted. Once one's body was burned, that was it…or if the musings of an idealistic Hyuuga were correct ….maybe he would see Shisui again in another life. It would be a shame for someone so talented and selfless to have amounted to only this.

 _'One can only hope there will be another chance.'_

 _ **...**_

 _ **Uchiha Manor**_

 _ **The Sixteenth Fall of the Suzume**_

 _ **...**_

Hanabi was almost positive she had never seen a fancier place than the Uchiha Manor in her life. She had never wanted for anything within the Compound but this was another level of wealth. Awkwardly, she shifted her new bow from one hand to the other.

"Wow." She said with a low whistle as the manor's heavy, front door was closed behind them. "This place is really fancy."

Her sister simply smiled and gave her free hand a squeeze.

"I had the same reaction when I first arrived at the Shiro. It's even more impressive…" She said softly but trailed off as _Sasuke_ whispered something in her ear.

Hanabi watched warily as the two exchanged hushed words and pointed looks back in her direction. She wasn't sure what to make of Uchiha Sasuke as she knew very little about him. Outside of the fact that he was Itachi's younger brother, he was a stranger to her. He hadn't even spoken two words to her since they'd been introduced either. Instead, he only talked to the guards to bark orders and her sister in an odd, gentler tone. Everything about the way he interacted with her sister was odd in her eyes.

His gaze lingered too long.

He tended to hover possessively.

It was all too comfortable for her taste. Overall, the conversation between the two was brief before Sasuke walked- or really stalked- down an adjacent hallway. Hanabi wrinkled her nose.

"Isn't he welcoming."

"He's just worried as he has every right to be." Hinata said with a sigh. "I think something has happened at the palace."

"Is that what all of that ringing and craziness was about?"

"That's Sasuke's suspicion."

"Why-"

"Uchiha-sama?" a voice called from around the corner and for a brief moment Hanabi wanted to correct them.

The last Uchiha had just left but then she caught sight of the large red and white fan on the back of her sister's mourning kimono. She was an Uchiha now. The person who had called out to her rounded the corner from the hall with a bundle in their arms. An older woman with a mess of curly black hair and striking red eyes, she spared Hanabi but a passing glance as she approached Hinata and held out the bundle of cloth to her.

"I'm so glad that you were able to get back safely." Hinata said as she accepted the bundle and the woman smiled.

"Kakashi felt it best if we didn't follow you. It's harder to move quickly when in a group." The woman replied. "It helped that she didn't cry at all as well."

"Oh really? What a good girl you are."

"I must attend to Mirai now. She will be waking up from her nap." The woman said with a proud smile as she bowed and Hinata nodded gratefully.

"Thank you Kurenai-san. I really appreciate your assistance."

"It is no trouble Uchiha-sama. It is the least that I can do for your generosity." Kurenai replied as she departed, leaving the three women alone in the foyer.

"So…a girl?" Hanabi asked curiously once Hinata finally turned to her.

The bundle she held was not just a pile of cloth. No, there in her sister's arms was a baby so tiny it couldn't have been more than a few days old. Mentally she calculated the hazy period of when her sister had been married to now. It was _just enough_ time to conceive a child. Hanabi's stomach twisted as her sister came closer with the baby and she caught sight of her big pale eyes.

"Congratulations." she said uncomfortably.

She shouldn't feel this way. It was expected of Hinata to have created a child with her husband. The only weird part was that her husband was Itachi.

 _Itachi…_

It was so easy to forget the fact that he was married to her sister when she laid next to him at night. Mentally Hanabi cursed herself and the petulant emotions that were trying to bubble up within her. She had no right to feel this way- especially when her sister looked so happy. Swallowing her discomfort, Hanabi came closer to the pair and peered down into familiar pale eyes. The child certainly favored the Hyuuga side of her parentage…and…she was kinda cute.

"What's her name?" Hanabi asked as the newborn blinked back at her.

"Well actually…" Hinata started hesitantly. "She doesn't have one yet."

"What? Why?!"

How could her sister _not_ name her baby?

"Tenten died before she could give her a name." Hinata said sadly and Hanabi felt her outrage dissipate.

"Tenten…" she whispered. "Tenten was here…"

Hanabi looked back down at the infant with new eyes. Her eyes might belong to the Hyuuga but the rest of her was certainly not from an Uchiha. The way her tufts of dark brown hair curled on the ends and her tiny, upturned nose. There were faint resemblances of Tenten in her face and she would undoubtedly grow to look more like her with every day that passed. This was Tenten's daughter and with that fact came another. On their wedding night, she had used Neji's desire to see Tenten as a ruse to escape. That night was exactly nine months ago…

"Neji-nii!" Hanabi gasped hopefully as she looked away from the baby to her sister.

Hinata shook her head knowingly and her eyes became glassy.

"He's…Tenten said that he was hung. They believe that he was the one who killed Otou-san-"

"What? Neji would never harm anyone-"

"It's what the elders believed happened and with your sudden disappearance, what else were they to think? The main branch thought he had harmed both of you in an effort to have the branch members usurp the order of things. The branch and main house tore themselves apart."

Hanabi blinked back tears and hugged herself. Her father….Neji… their clan…it was all a domino effect that was her fault. Her grip tightened on her bow. Somewhere deep down, she had hoped to put the Cloud Commander's words behind her. A not so little piece of her had hoped that everything he'd said was a lie. Unfortunately, for once in his miserable life, the Cloud Commander had uttered the truth.

"It wasn't Neji. It was _my_ fault. If I had just listened to Otou-san…if I had just stayed put…I had no idea..."

"Hana."

She took a step back at Hinata's soft tone. How could she be gentle when all of this was her fault? She could handle Hinata's anger and disdain. She had prepared herself for that-

Suddenly an arm came up around her shoulders, careful of her full quiver of arrows, and Hanabi tensed. Hinata then pressed her forehead against her own and pale eyes stared deeply back at her. The hot tears she'd been trying to hold back escaped freely. _Dammit!_ She had promised herself that she wouldn't cry anymore!

But...Hinata let her cry until her face grew red and her cheeks were drenched. She didn't move away or tell her to stop. She simply cupped the back of her head and held her in place. When the tears finally did stop, she let out a shaky breath- prepared to explain herself- and once again Hinata surprised her.

"You must have endured a lot to get here, haven't you?" Hinata whispered. "Our Clan may be gone but _we_ are still here. We will continue on. You, me, and…"

Her voice trailed off as her gaze landed on the newborn in her arms. Their niece and the future of their clan. Hanabi sniffed, pulling away slightly from her sister.

"She needs a name."

"I…I know." Hinata sighed. "I had hoped that Tenten would name her."

"I'm sure that between the two of us we can think of something worthy. A name that will uphold the legacy of the Hyuuga."

"My, you've gained a way with words." Hinata teased before looping her arm through Hanabi's and leading her further into the Manor. "Come and tell me how you got here. I'm sure it was a difficult journey."

Hanabi smiled and wiped away the remnants of her tears with the heel of her free hand. Getting to the capital hadn't been smooth but she relished every moment.

"It wasn't so bad all the time. If it wasn't for the Commander, I doubt that I'd be here actually."

It was true, as much as she didn't want to admit it. She would likely be dead if she hadn't stumbled upon him and his horse in the forest. The memory of being accused as a thief warmed her and a laugh bubbled up to the back of her throat.

"Commander?" Hinata asked and Hanabi mentally kicked herself.

"Sorry, I keep forgetting to call him Itachi-"

It was just a simple slip of the tongue but Hinata immediately released her and stared back with wide eyes.

"Hinata…" Hanabi started, now worried for her sister's shocked state. The newborn in her arms began to fuss.

"Itachi? Itachi brought you here?"

"Well yea-"

"But how? He…Itachi…they told me he was as good as dead."

"If you thought he was dead, he definitely isn't." Hanabi said matter of factly with a shrug of her shoulders. "He was just nagging me in the market place about running off. 'Hanabi, you know better than to run off blah, blah, blah'. Didn't you see him?"

 _ **….**_

 _ **The Twenty-first Fall of the Taka**_

 _ **Uchiha Manor**_

 _ **...**_

Sasuke knew the minute that the bells sounded that their time was up. The capital was no longer safe though he suspected that it had never been in the first place. He frowned as he watched the attendants pack up the Manor as expeditiously as possible. They could no longer stay here and expect to see the next morning.

"Are you sure about this?"

Sasuke glanced at Kakashi who stood impassively at his side. The man had barely spoken today, bereft of his usually quips Sasuke had almost forgotten about him.

"I am sure."

He wasn't but what other choice did he have?

Sasuke shook his head of the thought and watched as Izumi approached the covered pavilion where he stood.

"Izumi." He said and she bowed stiffly.

"Everything will be ready by morning Uchiha-sama."

"I need it done before then."

"Uchiha-sama…"Izumi started hesitantly. "We are trying our best but the matriarch's quarters are off-limits at the moment. Her servant- I mean _Temari_ isn't allowing anyone enter."

Sasuke frowned. Hinata was likely entertaining her sister at the moment and didn't want to be disturbed during their reunion. She also had no idea that she was leaving.

"Tell Hinata that I need to speak with her in my study urgently. That should bring her out long enough for the staff to pack up what they need." He said and Izumi nodded.

"And Temari?"

"She will not be returning to the District. Take care of her until I am ready."

"Yes, Uchiha-sama." Izumi said readily and quickly bowed in departure. She had a lot to complete if everything were to be ready in the time frame that he demanded.

"Hinata will be most disappointed." Kakashi said. "She expected to stay with you while the rest of the staff returned to the District. She and Temari are close…especially since the death of Tenten. One would imagine your wife would want a friend."

"What Hinata wants is secondary."

At this, Kakashi was silenced once more but Sasuke knew that he disapproved of his decision. As harsh as it was, it was still the truth. Hinata would be safer in the District. Now that her niece and surprisingly her sister were by her side, Hinata would have no choice but to leave. It was not just her life and personal whims that she was gambling with.

Besides, Temari had _always_ been a liability.

With the Sand forces encroaching upon the Capital there was no doubt in Sasuke's mind that Temari would be someone of value. He had one of two options. Either he gave her up to the Shogunate as proof of the Uchihas' continued loyalty to the throne or he turned his back on Konoha and returned her to her family. Both routes were not ideal but they were better than doing nothing. Hinata would not appreciate him using her attendant as a bargaining chip. It was just one more thing to add to the growing list of things he'd done that Hinata wouldn't like. Sasuke let out a slow breath of frustration through his nose.

 _'It is better for her to be angry with me and safe than dead.'_

For now, all he could do was make the necessary preparations for the remaining clan members' departure. When the thought of the clan entered his mind, so did his father. The man still hadn't awoken since they'd found him sneaking into the garden. He was breathing so Sasuke knew he was still alive but only just. He had not checked on him since his arrival. Instead, he simply relied on Izumi's updates of his condition but now he supposed that he should go to him. After all, _he_ would be one of the few remaining in the Manor.

Begrudgingly Sasuke made his way back into the Manor and through the winding halls to where his father was being held. If he wasn't awake yet he would force him into the world of the conscious. Their time was too precious to waste. He was halfway through his journey when the sound of thundering footsteps further inside read his ears and changed his direction.

Shouts and the clash of weapons quickened his pace until he reached the small inner courtyard of the Manor. There he found his own guards clashing against a large number of the men not typically known to the public. They all wore the same uniform as the man who had been guarding Shisui though their white masks were all slightly different.

The fight between them and his own men was tight inside the confines of the inner courtyard. Gravel crunched angrily underfoot as steel slide past one another. At the first sight of blood, Sasuke stepped into the fray with a hand on the hilt of his own katana.

"What is the meaning of this?!" he shouted as he reached the closest pair and drew his blade to separate them.

The Uchiha guard immediately fell to his knees in reverence at his sovereign interrupting the fight but the masked intruder only stared. His fingers tightened around the hilt of his katana. Glaring right back, Sasuke spoke again.

"What the hell is going on here?!" he demanded.

All around the courtyard, the Uchiha guards ceased their fighting and dropped to their knees just like the first. The masked men were taken aback by the action and to Sasuke's satisfaction looked much worse for wear than his own men. The member closest to him was already sporting a nasty gash to his torso that bled freely down his yukata. Despite the injury, he still looked as if he were itching to continue the fight.

"You are Uchiha Sasuke correct?" he asked, voice muffled from his mask and the Uchiha narrowed his eyes suspiciously.

He answered with a stiff nod and the rest of the masked men turned on him with their blades.

"Uchiha Sasuke, you are under arrest for the illegal kidnapping and harboring of a prisoner. Conspiring to muddy the royal family bloodline and…the murder of the former Emperor and Empress."

Sasuke sneered and inched his blade closer to the man's neck.

"Who is bringing these charges against me." He hissed through clenched teeth.

Although he couldn't see it, Sasuke was positive that there was a smile beneath the white mask. They both knew the answer before the name left his lips.

"By order of our Tenno Heika, Danzo. Come peacefully or prepare for your Manor and Clan to burn."

 _ **To be continued…**_

 _Leaves,  
like the shadows of crows  
cast by a lonely moon.  
_ _( **Fukuda Chiyo-ni)**_


	46. Chapter 46

_**CCNote**_ **: We are now in the home stretch! Please enjoy and don't forget to leave a REVIEW!**

 _Leaves_

 _like the shadows of crows_

 _cast by a lonely moon_

 ** _(Fukuda Chiyo-ni)_**

 **Why**

 _ **The Sixteenth Fall of the Suzume**_

 _ **Uchiha Manor**_

… _ **.**_

The pink and yellow patterned silks the Uchiha clan provided were far and above the quality she'd been given at the okiya. They were even more beautiful than the ones she'd briefly worn on her wedding day. Normally Hanabi might have marveled at her transformation back into someone who was _almost_ a lady under her sister's skilled hands but she was much too worried about said sister.

The conversation had started off innocently enough. She had only asked how she'd met Itachi but with each word Hanabi spoke, her Hinata grew visibly paler and paler.

Escaping from the Hyuuga Compound…

Training under Shisui…

Running away from the invading forces…

All of it was more than what Hinata had been expecting to hear. Of course, she censored a lot of what had transpired on their journey. There was no need to tell her sister about the countless number of people Itachi had killed and robbed. He _also_ didn't know that she knew about his actions but the servants in the okiya liked to gossip and money did not materialize on its own. Though he tried to not leave a trace of his crimes on his person, there was always a small stain of blood he had missed on his clothes. She should feel afraid to be around him but she didn't. Guiltily enough, she knew that the only safe place for her to reside was at his side.

In regards to _that_ …well…nothing inappropriate had happened but there were instances that she didn't want to share. Memories that were only for herself. Was that a bad thing? She'd only been in her sister's presence for a few hours and already she was keeping secrets. Swallowing thickly, Hanabi tore her eyes away from her reflection and back to Hinata.

"And that's how we ended up here." She said finally, nervously gauging her sister's reaction to the abridged tale.

Her face was unreadable as she sat beside Hanabi and took one of her hands into her own. Without a word, she flipped the hand over to the other side and ran her fingers along the rough and blistered flesh.

"Hana…your life has been so difficult but I suppose it could have been worse." She said softly. "I will have to thank Itachi for keeping you safe all this time. He really took his promise seriously."

"Promise?"

Hinata sniffed and tried to blink back tears.

"He promised that he would bring you to me. He swore that he would."

"If he kept his promise, why are you crying?"

"Because I didn't keep the only promise I made to him."

Hanabi wanted to press her sister further on what she meant but at that moment the door slid open and a tall, haughty woman stepped into the room. In her hands, she held a tray of tea as she approached the sisters. Hanabi narrowed her eyes at the woman who had barely spared her a glance since she'd first entered the room. Izumi was her name if she remembered correctly. Earlier she'd been reluctant to bring a new kimono for her to wear at Hinata's request and had eyed her weapons with disgust. Her very existence bothered this woman and Hanabi had to agree that the feeling was mutual.

It wasn't just the lack of respect that the woman showed her that made the Hyuuga suspicious but the shifty way Hinata acted around her. It wasn't her place to question the dynamics between Hinata and her staff though no matter how snooty they behaved.

"Izumi, um thank you for the tea but it isn't necessary at the moment." Hinata said hesitantly but the woman simply stared back blankly.

"I was told to inform you that Uchiha-sama requires your presence in his study." Izumi answered flatly as she began to pour a cup of tea.

The Hyuuga wrinkled her nose at the familiar smell that wafted from the kettle. It was so strong that the sickeningly sweet smell made her stomach churn. Hinata incredulously looked back at Hanabi with a wave of her hand.

"He knows that I am with my sister right now. Temari-"

"Has currently stepped away because she has other, more pressing obligations."

"But-"

"Uchiha-sama. I understand that today has been a trying time for you. You may catch up with your… _sister_ later. You will have all the time you need then."

Hanabi frowned at how pressing this woman was. She especially didn't like how she looked down on Hinata as if she were a petulant child and not the matriarch of a powerful clan. Although she looked as if she wanted to concede to Izumi, Hinata shook her head when the teacup was presented to her.

"No thank you."

"Uchiha-sama-" Izumi insisted with the cup outstretched.

"She said she doesn't want any tea lady." Hanabi snapped, grabbing the older woman's wrist. It was then that she remembered the cloying taste on the tip of her tongue.

"Why are you making Hinata drink this?"

Izumi snatched her wrist and glared daggers back at her. Unintimidated, Hanabi rose to her feet and although Izumi was taller she still took a step back.

"Itachi has been away for _months_ and the first thing you do is give that kind of tea to his wife?!"

"Hanabi what do you mean?" Hinata asked nervously as Izumi's gaze had hardened against both of them.

"It's some kind of contraceptive. Okaa- I mean- Anko gave it to everyone of age in the okiya but this smells a hell of a lot stronger."

At the news, Hinata's face paled, her trembling hand coming up to cover her mouth as if she were about to vomit but Izumi smiled. What the hell was going on here?

"There is nothing worse than a barren matriarch…well I suppose one that is an idiot and a whore is just a step below that-"

The slap was more of a reflex than intentional but Hanabi relished the shocked expression on Izumi's face when she stared down at her with wide eyes. The Hyuuga shook off the sting to her hand and spat at the older woman's feet.

"Say that about my sister again and I swear I'll hit you harder."

"How dare you-"

"How dare I?" Hanabi hissed as she pointed back at Hinata who was still trying to process the situation. " _She_ is your mistress and you just dragged her name through the mud-"

"I have said nothing that isn't true!" Izumi snapped back, pushing Hanabi away sharply.

Perhaps it was the long journey that made her patience short or the fact that she didn't like Izumi the minute she set eyes on her. Whatever the reason, the minute the woman's hands touched her shoulders her self preservation instincts kicked in and she grabbed Izumi's right hand. She then inverted it backwards far enough for her to cry out in pain and fall to her knees. If she wanted to- if she just applied enough pressure- she could break it.

She would break it but she couldn't let Hinata see her like that.

Unfortunately, Izumi was not willing to allow her to keep up the innocent little sister façade. She used the momentary lapse in pressure to free herself from Hanabi's grasp and launched forward. The force of her body sent both of them to the floor in a heap of scrapping limbs.

"Stop it!" Hinata shouted as she tried to pry the two of them apart. "Stop!"

"Get out of here Hinata." Hanabi hissed as she elbowed Izumi. A sickening crack and scream of pain erupted from the older woman as blood poured out of her nose.

"I-"

"I said get out!"

…..

 _ **The Twentieth Fall of the Hato**_

 _ **Uchiha Manor**_

… _ **.**_

She had to get help.

There was no way that she would be able to separate the two of them on her own. The minute she opened the door she looked to the left and right for help but found the hall abandoned. As she turned to the left and ran towards the heart of the Manor, all of it was left empty. Temari was missing and so it seemed were all of their attendants.

Hinata felt her heart pound in her chest as she thought about her last option. Izumi had mentioned that Sasuke had wanted to see her. Was that simply a distraction or was he missing as well? Sasuke would not leave her. He'd promised.

Promises.

What did she know about those? Who was she to judge someone that broke a promise, especially with her own betrayal?

Just as her doubts began to fill her mind, the sight of the front door being wide open caught her attention. There were signs of an altercation in the entrance though the culprits of the event had vanished. Only a few blood-stained weapons remained.

Quickly, Hinata descended the steps and ran outside only to find masked men in black walking away from her. Amid four men was Sasuke with his arms chained behind his back. They were leading him towards a black palanquin where more masked men stood to cart him away.

"Sasuke." Hinata called out but her voice caught in her throat.

Why were they taking him away? He had done nothing to warrant arrest!

Her heart beat wildly as she tried to make sense of everything. Of the Manor's missing occupants and Izumi's anger. Of Itachi's return and now Sasuke's departure. None of it made any sense but she knew the one thing she would not stand for. She would not let Sasuke go. Not without a fight.

All rational thought slipped from her mind the minute they began to shove the Uchiha into the cramped palanquin. Stooping down, Hinata picked up the nearest blood-soaked blade. The weight was heavy in her hand and she doubted under normal circumstances that she would be able to swing it hard enough to kill someone. It would take her holding it with two hands to even cause an injury. That didn't matter though. Her grip tightened around the hilt and she took several steps into the front courtyard.

"Let him go!" Hinata shouted with confidence that was braver than how she actually felt.

The masked men holding Sasuke tensed and looked over their shoulders. They didn't free him to look at her however. Instead, one of them whispered something in his ear.

"Go back inside Hinata." Sasuke said flatly.

There was something different in the way he said her name. A hollowness that shot straight through her heart. She swallowed and took a few more careful steps towards the group.

"I said let him go!" she demanded.

"Take one more step and the Emperor's justice will be taken right here and now." A muffled voice growled. "Drop your weapon."

Frozen with fear at what that might entail, she didn't move. One of the men kicked the back of Sasuke's leg and he fell to the ground on his knees. Another man unsheathed his blade and leveled the sharp metal against the back of his neck.

"Hinata. Go back." Sasuke said.

Still empty. Still hallow.

He had given up but he couldn't. He had to know that things would be okay. If Sasuke was being arrested there had to be a way to clear this up. All she had to do was speak with Naruto. He would not allow his oldest friend to be executed.

 _'But what about the bells._ ' A nagging voice in the back of her mind asked. _'What if there is no one to help?'_

No. There was a way. There was always a way and they had to hold out hope. Hope. That's what Sasuke needed the most right now. Reluctantly she allowed the heavy katana to slip from her fingers.

"Itachi is alive Sasuke." Hinata said, praying that her own guilt and fear did not make her voice waver.

Although she couldn't see his face she prayed that her words gave him some semblance of hope.

"Itachi will think of something and we will get you back."

The masked man's blade lifted from Sasuke's neck and two others roughly brought him up to his feet.

"I know he's alive. I've known for a while."

His words stole the air from her lungs. As they shoved him into the palanquin…

 _I know he's alive._

As they rushed down the street with heavy, synchronized footsteps…

 _I've known for a while_.

Her heart broke.

….

 _ **The Twenty-Seventh Fall of the Karasue**_

 _ **Uchiha Manor**_

… _ **.**_

It was the sound of something massive falling above him that first caught Itachi's attention.

Now alert, he slipped his hand out of Shisui's and only spared a moment to cover his body with a sheet. When he exited the room, the hall was just as empty as before but the ambient sounds of the Manor's staff had disappeared. That in an of itself was alarming enough but another loud thud and a muffled yell from above caught his attention once more.

It had been a long time since he'd last resided in the Manor but not long enough for him to have forgotten the basic layout. On this wing the matriarch's quarters were located on the second floor and the yelling coming through the ceiling was not what he was expecting.

Although worried, he was unwilling to show his face to the rest of the Manor and cause a panic. People thought he was either dead or a traitor and if that were the case it was best for him not to be seen. So as quickly as he could Itachi took the servants stairwell up to the second floor. Surprisingly the floor was empty as well but the sounds of a scuffle were more clear.

"You fucking bitch!"

Itachi frowned at the explicative. That was definitely Hanabi. Hurriedly he rushed down the hall until he reached the room where the fighting was the loudest. Inside he found Hanabi on top of Izumi, her fist poised to slam into the older woman's face. Before that could happen however he immediately made his way to the fighting pair and pulled Hanabi by her wrist. The girl was defiant and tried to get out of his grip but he quickly hoisted her up by her waist.

"Stop it!" Hanabi shrieked. "Let go of me!"

"Hanabi. That's enough." He growled and the girl stopped struggling to get out of his arms.

She still breathed heavily, exerted from fighting beneath layers of heavily weighted silk. Although no longer trying to fight, he maneuvered Hanabi behind him. The last thing he needed was her launching at Izumi. For her part, Izumi was slowly peeling herself up from the floor and looked worse for wear. She narrowed her eyes at them as she wiped blood off of her chin with the back of her hand.

"You know this little monster?" she asked and it was only by his quick reflexes that he was able to keep Hanabi from going at her again.

" _I'm_ a monster?! You're the one trying to drug my sister!"

Itachi frowned. What in the world had been happening while he was away?

"Explain." He said tersely and Izumi visibly gulped.

Before she could speak however, Hanabi dipped under his arms and grabbed the teapot from a tray on the vanity. Izumi tried to stop her but she nimbly dodged around her and brought the teapot to him. She then opened the top and shoved the contents right under his nose. The fruity aroma filled his nose and made his eyes water.

"It's just a contraceptive." Izumi said quickly but Itachi ignored her in favor of bringing the teapot to his lips.

It was a familiar tea. One that his mother drank every morning after Sasuke had been born.

"Itachi, let me explain."

He'd tried it once out of curiosity when her back was turned and it was a flavor not easily forgotten.

"I was only looking out for the best for the clan."

Overtly sweet with a bitter tang- however this batch was much stronger than a typical contraceptive. _This_ was potent enough to get rid of a child if one was precautious and caught on early.

"Itachi-" Izumi hedged as he lowered the teapot and allowed it to slip through his fingers. The contents of which spilled out harmlessly onto the tatami.

"What? Is it not what I thought it was?" Hanabi asked and Itachi nodded his head.

"Hinata is pregnant."

"What- How?!"

"The likelihood of her conceiving is high since she has been with your brother this entire time." Izumi explained quickly. "She never once believed in you as she should have. The minute you left she sought to keep her position as matriarch and Sasuke saw her as a way to become Head. They never trusted you. They labeled you as a traitor."

"Hinata is not the type to do such a thing. You're just spiteful!"

"It is not spiteful to care about my clan! While our clan's honor is being pissed down the drain, I have singlehandedly tried to keep everything afloat for the day Itachi returned. This was just a part of it-"

"But he didn't need your help! Itachi is not a traitor! Trying to kill a child, _my sister's child,_ is wrong-"

"What do you know about right and wrong you little monster-"

"Izumi." Itachi snapped, keeping his free hand firmly on Hanabi's shoulder.

The Uchiha woman stared back at him incredulously.

"Don't tell me you're actually going to take her side." She frowned as she took a step back.

Itachi kept his face impassive at her words. This was not the woman he knew from his past. He did not understand the full extent of Izumi's accusations- in fact, he doubted that Sasuke was doing anything more than his best to keep everything from falling apart.

"Itachi, the clan remains strong in the District. Come back with me and be the leader the Uchiha clan needs. Let Danzo have his fun playing war. When he fails and the dust settles, the Uchiha will be strong just as we've always been-"

"And what of Sasuke? Where does he fit into your plan?" Itachi interrupted and Izumi sniffed.

"It was a small price to pay for safe passage back to the District."

This was the life he'd wanted to protect Sasuke from. A life of being little more than a pawn in someone else's plan. Such was the fate of a spare and Izumi had happily used him.

"Thank you Izumi."

The woman was taken aback for a moment by his gratitude but quickly smiled, wiping her bleeding nose with the back of her hand.

"It was nothing…" she said sheepishly. "Everyone has been waiting for your return."

Itachi took a step forward but was held back by a small, stubborn hand clutching the sleeve of his yukata.

"Are you serious?" Hanabi sputtered angrily. "Your brother is not very nice but he doesn't deserve to be sold out! And what about Hinata? Where will she go?"

Unspoken in her questioning was _what about me…_ Her bottom lip quivered as she held back those words but he did not respond. At his silence, her fingers slipped from his sleeve and she let him go. With every step closer to Izumi, her smile widened. For a moment, she almost looked as she had four years ago. Eager for him to return from a campaign, the small moments he was able to give to her and only her. Her dark eyes were turned up at him expectantly.

Watching.

Waiting.

She didn't even notice the dagger he'd slipped from his obi nor the small gasp of surprise from Hanabi when she saw it. Her lips moved to form his name but no words came out.

Only blood spilled from the slit of her neck and her body fell to the floor in a lifeless heap.

…..

 _ **The Twenty-first Fall of the Taka**_

 _ **Imperial Palace**_

… _ **.**_

He could understand why they chose to bind his hands and link his ankles only far enough to walk but not run. The minute he was free, anyone close to him would be sure to suffer a painful death by his hands. However, the blindfold they used to cover his eyes was overkill. It was dark and in turn annoying but Sasuke knew precisely where he was.

He'd traversed the halls of the palace so much as a child that it was even more familiar than the Manor was at times. He knew exactly how many steps it would take to walk from the front gate through the sprawling courtyard gardens. He knew every twist and turn of the halls and the sound of servant scurrying about. He knew everything about the palace so being blinded was not alarming to him. It was the silence. There was no one outside of the small group of masked men around him. Every servant, every brown-nosing noble, was noticeably absent from the premise.

Sasuke frowned as he was shoved forward into what he presumed was the Emperor's office. He was then forced to his knees, a position of subservience that made his blood boil in his veins. Hands that had been guiding him through the halls finally left his body and the door shut behind marching feet.

"Sasuke."

The Uchiha frowned at the familiar voice of Danzo. Unbothered and expectant of him to be delivered bound and blinded to grovel at his feet. As his heavy footsteps approached, it took everything in him not to spit at those very feet. Quelling his rebellion, Sasuke simply stared ahead into the darkness.

"You should bow when you are in the audience of the Emperor."

The Uchiha didn't respond, the lack of which he knew would irritate Danzo further. He was surprised then when the man chuckled.

"Your mother would be disappointed in you." He continued. "You've gotten yourself into quite a bit of trouble haven't you? You kidnapped one of my prisoners. Shinji…Shoji I think his name was. He was useless to me but it's the principle of the matter. Then you conspired to muddy the royal bloodline. Can you imagine my frustration when the prince brought a filthy servant into the palace and declared her to be his wife? My niece, who has been groomed her entire life to be the Empress of this nation, was pushed aside for scum that can't even read. All because you manipulated an idiot."

Sasuke bit back an insult. There was nothing he could say to his accuser and arbiter of his execution. At least there was the hope that the Manor would be cleared out by the time his heart stopped beating. They would be safe now that Itachi had returned. Or at least he hoped. Though labeled a traitor to the throne, Itachi would not turn his back on the clan. He had to believe that Shisui was right.

"Those two crimes are paltry compared to you murdering the Emperor and Empress. I might have been able to let those two crimes slide but this one is just too large. The people of Konoha will want your head as retribution." Danzo said as he roughly grabbed a handful of Sasuke's hair and tilted his head back. "What do you have to say for yourself?"

"I did not kill them." He replied through gritted teeth.

Danzo's fingers tightened in his hair.

"You're right of course but for all intents and purposes, you _did_ murder them. You did it in cold blood, so cunning and calculating. You used your head servant to spike their tea and put them to sleep. Then you burned them in their beds. The entire west wing of the palace is in shambles. At least, this is what the public will know about the demise of their leader. I had hoped that there would be another way but you Uchiha always make things harder than they need to be. At least this way is cleaner."

 _'Cleaner_?' Sasuke scoffed.

"No one will accept you as the Emperor. Even if you pin all of this on me the people won't trust you. The other clans will dispute your rule."

"Don't worry, they have no choice. With not one but _two_ invading forces they will look to a leader to defend them. Someone with experience crushing rebellions and keeping order."

It was then that it clicked for him.

"Is that what you told my father?" Sasuke growled and Danzo's grip on his hair slowly vanished. "We were just your scapegoat this entire time."

Everything- all of it- was just a ruse.

"Why? Why are your doing this?"

Any powerful clan with dreams of ambitions could have been swayed. Any of them could have been pawns in his plan. At his question however, Danzo chuckled and rang a small bell. The shoji door to the office slid open and his previous captures returned to take him away.

" _Why_? Because I can." Danzo said as his men roughly pulled the Uchiha up to his feet. "Enjoy your last few hours alive boy and perhaps think of something good to say to the people of this city in the morning. They may take pity during your execution."

 _ **To be continued…**_

 _Observe:_

 _see how the wild violets bloom_

 _within the forbidden fences!_

 ** _(Shida Yaba)_**


	47. Chapter 47

**CCNote:** **This chapter is a bit on the longish side but since you made it this far in the story, I think you will be fine. This chapter also includes the scene that inspired this story and continuously played in my head for nearly a year. It feels so good to finally get it out. There 2-3 chapters left and I just can't wait to share them with you! As always ignore my glaring errors. Please enjoy and don't forget to leave a REVIEW!**

 _Observe:_

 _see how wild violets bloom_

 _within the forbidden fences!_

 ** _(Shida Yaba)_**

 **Your Sword and Sheild**

 _ **The Twenty-first Fall of the Taka**_

 _ **Imperial Palace**_

… _ **.**_

His captors were none too gentle as they threw him into what he presumed to be a dungeon. The heavy iron shackles around his wrists were raised to be attached to a hook above his head while his ankles were freed. If he had the will to, he might have kicked the person connecting him to his new accommodations but he didn't. What use was there making things more uncomfortable than they already were?

Once he was secure, his captors left his blindfold on and only the sound of an old door squeaking as it closed let him know they had departed. Silence was now his only companion and was a welcome reprieve from being dragged around like a doll. Sasuke frowned as he leaned his head back against the stone wall.

' _So this is where I die._ ' He thought morbidly.

He'd never given much thought to his own demise. Being young and well off meant that he was almost guaranteed a long life. All of those guarantees were for not. In his twenty-first Fall he was being accused of treason and would be dead by morning. How would Danzo carry out his punishment? It was obviously going to be public- the man always had a flair for theatrics.

Rolling his eyes behind the blindfold, Sasuke entertained the ways in which he was to die. Ingesting poison was for women and far too simple of a death. Hanging would be interesting for the public to see…they really didn't have those often since Emperor Minato had ascended to the throne but now he was gone. There was also the option of beheading, messy but quick. Of all three options, he preferred the latter-

A groan from the other side of the room caught his attention. He wasn't as alone as he thought he was.

"Who's there." The Uchiha asked into the darkness and a gravelly but familiar voice called back.

"Sasuke? Is that you?"

"Naruto!" he hissed.

What the hell was he doing in this cell?

"It is you! How did you get in here?!"

"I could ask you the same thing."

Naruto fell silent for a moment, his chains clanging against the stone.

"I've been here since last night. One minute I was asleep and the next I was blinded and chained up here." Naruto said, a hint of frustration on the edge of his words. "Have you seen Sakura?"

"I can't _see_ anyone." Sasuke snapped.

The idiot was changed to a wall and all he cared about was his wife. He couldn't entirely fault him for it. It was taking a lot to not think about Hinata and the state that he'd left her in. She would be fine though. Itachi was back after all and it was better to cut ties with her now. Better for her to be angry with him instead of mourning his death. She'd cried enough over the death of others. He would not have her shed tears for him. Now great…here he was thinking about her!

"Sasuke…" Naruto started, snapping the man out of his thoughts. "Why are you here?"

The Uchiha let out a slow breath through his nose. Naruto had to know what had happened to his parents. The bells could only mean so much and they were not so deep beneath the palace that he wouldn't have been able to hear them. Licking his busted bottom lip, he started to speak but the door to their dungeon opened again. From the sound of it, more than one person had entered their cell. The sound of chains clanging together meant that a fellow prisoner was joining their ranks.

"Well, now your highness. It looks like you're finally awake."

Sasuke frowned as Danzo's voice reached his ears. He had hoped he would get a break from the man but no. There was a reason he threw him in the same cell as Naruto and he didn't like where this was heading.

"Danzo-san?" Naruto called out, clearly confused as to why the older man was there. "Let me out of these chains. Someone has gotten into the palace and the bells-"

"Now, now my prince. Don't get yourself worked up. Tell me, have you gotten reacquainted with your old friend? I'm sure he has a lot to tell you."

Sasuke frowned but didn't speak. What the hell was he playing at? In response, Danzo chuckled.

"Your tongue will become loose later. For now, your highness I need to ask you for a favor. It's only a small technicality that I hate to trouble you with but must."

"I don't understand. Get me out of these chains-"

"Oh, I will. If you abdicate the throne."

"What?!"

"Naruto! No!" a feminine voice shouted but was cut off by the sharp sound of skin against skin.

"Sakura!" Naruto cried out, his chains straining against the stone. "What did you do to her?!"

"No harm will come to her as long as you do as I say."

"Don't listen to-"

Once more, the sound of Sakura being struck reverberated in their ears and Naruto responded with a string of expletives. It only earned Sakura more violent blows on his behalf. His own urges for their captors to stop were lodged in his throat. Nothing he could say would help Sakura. If anything, it would make it worse for her.

"I came to ask you nicely your highness. A simple public ceremony is all it will take to ensure a smooth transition of power." Danzo sighed as he snapped his fingers for his masked minions to stop their assault. "It is only expected that you give me the power of the throne after capturing your parents' murderer."

"My parents-"

"Are no longer for this world. Sasuke, why don't you tell Naruto what happened to them. Think of it as practice for tomorrow."

The Uchiha kept silent and it earned a muffled blow to Sakura who was trying her best not to cry out.

"Stop it! Stop hurting her!" Naruto shouted. "Sasuke, just tell me what happened."

"Yes _Sasuke_ , tell him what happened."

He was toying with him. There was nothing more that Danzo had to gain from him other than his humiliation. Yet as Sakura finally let a whimper escape, he knew that he would not be able to stay silent.

"Leave her alone. She has nothing to do with this." Sasuke said and Danzo chuckled.

"This filth that you allowed to infiltrate the palace has everything to do with this."

The sound of Sakura crying out again from a blow shot straight to his gut. He instinctually pulled against his chains, straining internally not to let Danzo know that he was getting to him. Naruto did not fare as well.

"Let her go! I swear I will kill you-"

"Naruto!" Sasuke snapped, hoping to get through his friend's angry tirade.

The blonde growled, his chains clanging together on the stone wall. Danzo clicked his tongue and must have signaled for his men to leave because the sound of retreating footsteps reached their ears.

"I'll be back soon. Hopefully, you will both be more compliant when I return. If not, I'm sure this trash will be more than willing to accept punishment in your place."

When the door closed behind him, Sasuke heard Naruto lunge angrily in its direction but of course, got nowhere with that action. Surprisingly though, a small feminine sniffed let him know that Sakura had not departed with the rest. Naruto picked up on this as well and calmed his struggle against his chains.

"Sakura-chan." Naruto said softly, his voice cracking as he spoke.

"I…I'm fine."

"No you're not! Where are you? Can you stand?"

"I think…I think I'm by the door but it hurts too much to move."

"Sakura-chan-"

"Naruto… no matter what you can't officially give up the throne to him."

"But-"

"She's right!" Sasuke growled, stifling any descent on Naruto's part. "He expects you to give in publically so no one will rebel against him."

"And you know this because?!"

"Because he plans on killing me tomorrow, that's why!" Sasuke said through gritted teeth.

Tomorrow during his execution, Danzo would have Naruto abdicate his throne before all who came to watch. It was the 'cleaner' way to go about things. If he didn't step down…well, Sasuke didn't think Naruto would be able to live much longer.

"Why…why would he do that?" Naruto asked, his chains slackening.

Sasuke snorted and rolled his eyes.

"Because he can."

At this Naruto fell silent, resigned to the abysmal options that lay before him. Stand against Danzo, deny his request, and subject Sakura to a very short life of torture. Or step down and plunge Konoha into chaos. In either case, the prince had to know that he would follow the same fate as his parents.

"We're getting out of here guys."

Sasuke frowned, perplexed at the newfound confidence in Naruto's voice.

"The only way we are getting out of here is by being marched out in chains."

"Don't you trust me Sasuke?"

Trust. It was a word Naruto was still willing to bandy around despite being betrayed and his parents' murdered. He was either brave or the biggest idiot in the world.

' _Trust me.'_

Hinata had said those very words to him only a few nights ago. She had kissed him and opened herself up to him despite all of the secrets he'd kept from her. She trusted him implicitly. Even as he was being dragged away in chains, she'd trusted him.

He'd undoubtedly torn that trust to shreds. Stomped on it and hoped that she would hate him for it.

Why? To keep her safe from knowing about Danzo's machinations? To protect her? All of it sounded like wasted effort when he should have spent more time being honest. At least then he wouldn't die like a beaten dog with its tail between its legs. _That_ was precisely what Danzo wanted.

"If we get out of here." Sasuke said flatly- and it was a larger 'if' that wasn't in their favor. "Danzo is mine to kill."

Naruto chuckled in the darkness and the Uchiha felt his own lips quirk into a smirk.

"Now that's the Sasuke I know. Sakura-chan, save your strength for now and don't try to move…when Danzo returns, we will need the element of surprise…"

… _ **..**_

 _ **The Twentieth Fall of the Hato**_

 _ **Imperial City- Uchiha Manor**_

…

Each step forward was more painful than the last. She wasn't even able to make it through the threshold of the Manor before her knees gave out and the ground came up to meet her. She squeezed her eyes shut, bracing herself for impact but she never reached the floor. Strong hands gripped her forearms and kept her from falling face first. As she slowly opened her eyes, Hanabi called out to her and was much closer than she'd imagined was possible.

"Hinata! Hinata are you okay?" she asked frantically but before she could respond, she was lifted into the air and her eyes were filled with a face she never imagined she'd see again.

Uchiha Itachi.

' _He really is here.'_ She thought as he carried her.

It was a relief to see him again but his visage was not at peace. His face was speckled with a red substance that she feared was blood. _Who's blood_ was the most concerning thing. Hanabi followed close on his heels, sliding open the door to the sitting room and directing him to a plush chaise. The moment he set her down, Hanabi crowded next to him-nearly pushing him out of the way in the process.

"Are you hurt?" she asked worriedly, her pale eyes scanning her up and down for damage.

Hinata frowned and shook her head. She really should be asking _Hanabi_ that question due to her fight with Izumi and now disheveled appearance. She took in the pair, her worry mounting at how bloody the two of them were. Her stomach rolled uncomfortably at the sight but she pushed down the feeling.

"I'm fine Hana." She said finally and her sister let out a sigh of relief.

"That's good. I was so worried, especially knowing that you've been living with that bitch this whole time-"

"Hanabi." Itachi said coldly and the Hyuuga promptly ceased her tirade.

By the roll of her eyes however, she did not feel the slightest bit guilty about what she said. Hinata looked between the two of them curiously.

"Where is Izumi?"

"That isn't something to concern yourself with." Itachi said.

"But-"

"Hanabi. Do a perimeter check and see if there is anyone left in the Manor. After everything is secure, report back."

The girl in question was hesitant at first. Her eyes wavered on Itachi for a half-second with a protest on the tip of her tongue but she didn't argue. With his orders in mind, Hanabi quickly stood and left the room. Once she was gone Itachi's shoulders slumped slightly and a bit of the fatigue he had been hiding showed on his face. He ran a tired hand over his face as he rose to turn his back to her.

"How long have you been drinking the tea Izumi gave you?" he asked much to Hinata's surprise.

"She first gave it to me when we arrived at the beginning of Fall but I never drank any of it."

"Never?"

"No…there was always an accident or someone else would take it." Hinata said slowly.

"It appears that someone was looking out for you both." Itachi replied and turned back to her with a wry smile on his lips. "I suppose a congratulation is in order."

His words were confusing and guilt ate away at her heart. Although she had not kept her vows…even though he'd lied to her…she didn't regret marrying Sasuke. He at least deserved to hear the news of her remarriage from her own mouth.

"I…Itachi…Sasuke and I-" she started but he raised a hand to stop her.

"We can get into the details of how my brother stole my wife later. For now, I need to know where said brother is."

Oddly enough, even though his words were meant to absolve her of guilt she felt like crying. Biting her lower lip, she tried her best not to let her emotions overcome her at a time she needed to remain calm.

"Itachi…they have Sasuke."

Despite how much it hurt her that he'd lied to her, she didn't want Sasuke to suffer the fate that laid before him. She could not lose him.

"Who is they?" Itachi asked and she shook her head.

"They wore these white masks so I don't know _who_ they are. They said that they were here on behalf of the Emperor to arrest Sasuke. He hasn't committed any crime. I know that he's innocent but they chained him up and took him away."

Itachi frowned and turned away from her again, his hands clasped behind his back.

"This is worse than I feared." He said. "Tell me everything."

"Everything?"

"From my mother's death to now."

"You…you know about Mikoto-san…" Hinata said, her voice barely above a whisper.

So much time had passed since that dreadful day but it still hurt to think about her. Just saying her name made her heart skip a beat with longing for the closest thing she'd had to a mother. Gripping the silk of her kimono, Hinata took comfort in knowing that revisiting the memory of Mikoto may help get Sasuke back. How it would help, she wasn't sure but she believed in Itachi. If he was able to bring her sister back to her, surely there was nothing he wouldn't do to rescue his brother.

"It was just a normal day. The monks at Atami Shrine were praying for your campaign but nothing out of the ordinary had happened. I had been going to bring Mikoto-san some tea when Sasuke was trying to visit her as well…"

…

 _ **The Sixteenth Fall of the Suzume**_

 _ **Imperial City- Uchiha Manor**_

… _ **..**_

' _Stupid Itachi_.' Hanabi grumbled inwardly.

If he'd wanted her to get lost, all he had to do was say so. Although she should have expected him to shoo her away. The two of them had a lot to discuss- chief among them was the fact that Hinata was possibly pregnant and it wasn't his kid.

Sighing, Hanabi closed the door to yet another empty room. There was no one left within the Manor. All of the rooms had been cleared out of essentials as if in a rush. Drawers were left open and beds upturned. If she hadn't known any better, she would have thought they'd been raided. Although the Uchiha Manor was opulent to the point of excess, this was not a place that she would want to live. How Hinata had survived in this stuffy environment with a servant bent on destroying her was beyond Hanabi's comprehension.

Peering her head into another room, she anticipated it to be empty but was met with muffled sounds coming from behind a dividing screen. Since the entire Manor had been empty up to this point, it was odd to hear any noise aside from her own breathing. Steeling herself in case of an attack, Hanabi approached the screen cautiously. When she pushed it aside, there was no threat to be had. In fact, _she_ was more of a danger to _them._

"What the hell are you doing here old man?" Hanabi hissed, her eyes narrowing at the sight of Fugaku tied up and gagged. Beside him sat a blonde woman in a similar state but she wasn't too concerned about her at the moment.

Here was the man that had abandoned them. Stolen their weapons and made off in the middle of the night. He was a man that didn't care about how his son would fare and only cared about himself. There were too many nights that Itachi had stayed awake thinking about their next moves- all of which revolved around getting this good for nothing man back. Yet here he was, tied up like a prized hog. Anger surged in her veins as she regarded the pitiful state he was in and she roughly pulled his gag off.

"It's good to see you as well brat." He said flatly. "Untie me quickly."

"And why should I do that? You're just going to run off as soon as you are free." Hanabi snapped, crossing her arms over her chest. "You're staying like this until the Commander decides what to do with you."

Fugaku sneered in response, a command on the tip of his tongue, but Hanabi rolled her eyes. She then focused on his female companion. The blonde watched their interaction with narrowed eyes. She became increasingly warier once Hanabi kneeled closer to her to get her free. When she was free of her gag, she took a deep breath but didn't relax.

"Who are you?" Hanabi asked and the blonde seemed to debate with herself just how much she should divulge.

"Where is Izumi?" she countered.

' _So she's changing the subject away from herself._ ' Hanabi thought. ' _Smart woman.'_

"Is she the reason you're tied up?"

The woman paused for a moment but nodded. Once again, Hanabi felt contempt bubble up for the now-dead servant. Just what kind of underhanded business had she been dealing in?

"Izumi is dead." Hanabi said finally and at this, the woman cracked a smile.

"I'm Temari." She said and a vague bell of recollection went off in Hanabi's mind. " _You_ must be the little sister Hinata was so excited to see."

"Enough with the chitchat. Untie me now." Fugaku hissed but both women ignored him.

"How did you end up here?" Hanabi asked as she set to work untying Temari much to Fugaku's chagrin.

Temari glanced heatedly at the older man, her upper lip curling in the process.

" _He_ is the reason I'm here. The Uchiha escorted me personally to the Shogunate almost a year ago. As soon as I'm free, I plan to pay him back for the gesture."

Hanabi paused in her untying and frowned.

"You can't harm him. Not yet anyway. The Commander will decide what to do with him."

Speaking of which, she really should hurry and get back to him and her sister. He would want to know that his father had been restrained by that crazy servant. Unfortunately, Izumi had tied the knots tight and without a blade to saw through them it would be nearly impossible to free them. Hanabi let out a huff but as she struggled, the door to the room slid open to reveal two hooded figures. She abandoned her task to stand, ready to fight if the situation called for it but the figures removed their hoods and raised their hands. The taller of the two- a pale, dark-haired man with an unsettling smile- took a cautious step forward.

"No need to feel hostile." He said. "We are here to help."

"Ino?" Temari said with disbelief and Hanabi glanced away from the man to the woman who stood at his side.

Her pale blonde hair was tied up in a high ponytail on her head. She smiled at Temari's recognition and slowly lowered her hands.

"Long time, no see."

"You _know_ her?" Hanabi asked her tied up companion and Temari nodded.

"She was one of your sister's attendants until she decided to run off with this guy."

"It's nice to know you missed me Temari!"

"But if you used to be an attendant…what are you doing here now?" Hanabi said warily as the man tried to take another step forward.

" _We_ are not supposed to be here." The man explained. "In fact, someone else is supposed to collect Danzo's 'gifts' but _they_ are currently decapitated."

The one named Ino stepped up to the man's side and placed a hand on his arm.

"What Sai means to say is that we are here to help you."

Hanabi blinked. Help them?

"What could we possibly need your help with?" Fugaku growled defensively and for once Hanabi found herself agreeing with the surly old man.

"Well, for one thing, Danzo has your son and is probably going to kill him as soon as the sun rises-"

"That and the fact that we were able to save a few of your friends before they were slaughtered." Ino interrupted just as Kurenai entered the room with a silver-haired man- each of whom were holding a sleeping baby.

Hanabi immediately went up to the nursemaid and collected her niece who did not look as if she'd only just survived an ambush. Perplexed, she looked to Kurenai for answers but she was too busy taking her own baby from the man next to her.

"What happened?" Fugaku asked tersely and the silver-haired man answered.

"I see you're alive." He said. "Izumi-san told us that Sasuke's plans to leave in the morning had changed and told us that he'd ordered us to leave immediately. These two were able to catch up with us before we got too far away. They were able to convince us to turn back to the Manor but the rest of the staff went on ahead."

The man looked over Temari and Fugaku and if he weren't wearing a mask she would be sure he was frowning.

"Where are Sasuke and Hinata?"

"Oh! I hope we aren't too late." Ino said and Hanabi bit the inside of her cheek.

She wasn't sure what happened to Sasuke but if Izumi sold him out the way she claimed, they had minimal time to figure it out. Holding her niece tightly, Hanabi tried her best to sound self-assured to the newcomers.

"Help me free Temari but don't let the old man go no matter what he says."

… _ **.**_

 _ **The Twentieth Fall of the Hato**_

 _ **Imperial City- Uchiha Manor**_

… _ **.**_

She expected her sister to return to the room but she hadn't anticipated the entourage that joined her. In one corner of the room, Kurenai was keeping the two babies of their ensemble quiet as well as an eye on a frustratedly restrain Fugaku. The man was more than pissed to be tied up but Itachi had taken one look at his father and decided that would be the best state for him now.

Ino and Sai were currently briefing the rest of their small group on the developments of the new false Emperor. Kakashi, Itachi, and Hanabi were all stone-faced as they spoke but she could tell that they were worried. The odds were certainly stacked against them. Itachi sat next to her, his body wound tight and ready to jump into action at a moment's notice. However, there was nothing he could do- at least not right now- and that caused a palpable frustration to roll off of him in waves. Her own fingers itched to do something, anything of use. She was positive that her hands would be shaking if it weren't for her steadfastly keeping them folded in her lap.

"The execution will take place just after sunrise tomorrow. I believe the rest of the Anbu are doing what they can to spread the word of the Emperor's murder as we speak." Sai said and Hinata glanced out the window to her right.

The last vestiges of the sun were already disappearing for the night. They had very little time to come up with a strategy to get Sasuke out of the palace with his head still attached. It racked her nerves just thinking about it. The only thing keeping her from succumbing to her own anxiety was the fact that Sasuke needed her to keep it together. Swallowing, she turned her attention back to Ino and Sai.

"What about Naruto? Surely he can be appealed to." She said and a clouded look of worry overcame Ino's features.

"He has Sakura and Naruto hidden somewhere in the palace. I overheard some of his ex-fiance's attendants gossiping about it in the garden."

"You two seem to know a lot about Danzo's moves." Itachi said evenly as he leaned back on his chair, dark eyes trained unwaveringly on the pair. " Why are you telling us this?"

"Are all Uchihas distrustful of others?" Sai countered, an odd grin on his face. "To be honest, I do not care who lives or dies in all of this. I only wish to be on the winning side."

"The winning side?"

"Danzo has created so many traps and plans that he's forgotten they're double-edged. He will not win the fight against the public's opinion of him and there will be rebellion in the streets the moment he declares himself the new Emperor. I have no doubt that it will be squashed with more bloodshed than necessary. That will not be the end of it. Suna and Kumo are less than a day's ride from the city as well. Anyone left loyal to Danzo will die. The way I see it, tying my fate to his is not in my own self-interest."

"You could always leave the city. No one would even notice you're missing this time." Temari snorted with a roll of her eyes but Ino simply smiled.

"Believe it or not _I_ actually care." She said. "If it were up to Sai, we would have left long ago. However, when I found out that Danzo's grudge against the Uchiha was going to more than just a pressure campaign, I couldn't leave things up to fate and hope you all made it out."

She then turned to Itachi and squared her shoulders under his oppressive gaze.

"You don't have to trust us for long. Just a few hours. The minute Sakura is safe is the minute you will never see us again."

Itachi's face was impassive as he regarded the blonde and for a moment Hinata thought he would grill the pair further. He didn't, however, and instead turned his sight to the corner of the room where Fugaku was still tied up. The older man glared back.

"What?" he snarled.

"Do you see now what your greed has gotten you?" Itachi said. "Okaa-san is dead- Sasuke is as good as. The rest of the clan in the District is in more danger now than they ever were before and that is only if there is a District to return to."

Hinata watched as Fugaku's defiant anger cracked slightly. The hard glare he had trained on Itachi shifted to surprise and what little color he had in his face vanished.

"Mikoto…"

"Committed suicide months ago after Danzo sent you walking right into a trap and threatened to claim her again." Itachi sneered. "I should kill you myself right now for all of the chaos you have brought this clan."

The temperature in the room felt as if it had dropped several degrees and Hinata stiffened at his icy threat. Never before had she heard him sound so menacing or speak so cavalierly about someone's life. His _father's_ life. As Itachi moved to stand and make good on his threat, her hand shot out and grabbed his sleeve.

"Don't." she said softly and Itachi froze midstep. "Let him at least explain himself."

"We do not have time for explanations."

"But…"

They really didn't have time. No matter what Fugaku said it wouldn't change that fact. Still…it didn't sit right with her for this man to die now after everything that had happened. Sasuke never even got a chance to speak with him after they found him in the gardens…

"Itachi…at least let Sasuke see him one more time."

It was a last-ditch argument- one that wouldn't hold water if Sasuke were set to die in the morning- but it was all she could think of. Sasuke and Fugaku didn't have the best relationship. Even the word 'relationship' was tenuous at best to describe the two but Sasuke deserved to speak with him. If she could potentially provide that closure for him, she would.

For his part, Itachi was silent. He gave no indication of whether he would give in to her request or not. It wasn't until he slowly sat back down that she realized she'd been holding her breath. Was he agreeing with her? Was he angry? On Itachi's right side, Hanabi snorted and crossed her arms over her chest.

"Looks like you get to see another day old man."

"As much as I enjoy witnessing Uchiha clan drama, we are on a tight schedule here." Sai said and he procured a scroll from an inner fold of his cloak.

He then unfurled the scroll on the table and laid before them a blueprint of the Imperial Palace. Hinata studied the scroll intently, marveling slightly at just how impossibly complicated the inner workings of the palace were. There were so many rooms and one of them contained Sasuke. Itachi and Kakashi's voices washed over her as they tried to formulate some kind of infiltration into the palace. She was not to be included in their plans nor did she expect to be. However, as she continued to study the scroll, an unsettling feeling churned in the bottom of her stomach.

… _ **.**_

 _ **The Twenty-Seventh Fall of the Karasue**_

 _ **Imperial City- Uchiha Manor**_

… _ **..**_

This was a day that refused to end.

Itachi let out a slow breath through his nose as he sharped one of his newly acquired kunai against a whetstone. In only a few hours it would all be over though…one way or another.

Their plan was a simple one. In less than an hour, he would have all of the weapons they would need to infiltrate the Imperial Palace. Under Sai's guidance, he and Kakashi would enter through one of the many outposts used by Danzo's men to patrol the palace. Once inside, they just had to not get caught during their search. Although...that was much easier said than done.

After they got Sasuke out- if they got him out- what were they going to do? His absence would be missed immediately and the full brunt of the royal forces would be on their heels. They stood no chance against them on their own. So…though it was a gamble to trust her, Itachi had sent Temari free.

The allied invaders were less a day's ride out from the capital city's walls according to Sai's intelligence. If she rode as hard and as fast as she'd promised, she would make it to their encampment by sunrise. From there he could only hope that the goodwill Hinata had shown her over the last few months had created an ally.

Allies...

Enemies…

Titles that were interchangeable at a moment's notice and held little meaning in the grand scheme of things. Izumi had been an ally in her own mind. The look in her eyes of devotion and unwavering loyalty only wrought pain within him. His father was an ally and had brought nothing but problems in his wake-

The shoji door sliding open cut Itachi's thoughts short and Hanabi stepped into the room, oblivious to his presence. He hadn't the time to take note of her appearance before- and although she was now disheveled- the pale pink kimono that she wore suited her well. The guilty look on her face when he coughed did not.

"Sorry." She said, a light blush dusting over her cheeks. "I thought this room was empty."

"You should be sleeping." Itachi replied as he returned to sharping his tools.

"I can't."

"You can't or you won't?"

"I really can't." Hanabi pouted. " I don't like sleeping alone and Hinata fell asleep before she could help get me out of this thing. It's so uncomfortable."

Itachi paused in his work once more and looked up at the approaching girl incredulously. She narrowed her eyes through her embarrassment.

"I have something else to wear, ya know." She grumbled and held up a familiar navy yukata for an Uchiha guard.

"Hanabi." Itachi said tersely.

She was not about to follow him into the palace tomorrow. He would not allow it. He could not focus on rescuing his brother and keeping her out of harm's way at the same time. Hanabi, however, ignored him and started to untie the thick yellow obi around her waist with unpracticed fingers.

"You are not coming with me."

When the obi fell to the floor, she proceeded to slip out of her pink kimono.

"I don't see why I can't."

The second layer of her kimono fell from her shoulders, revealing her nagajuban underneath. Decorum dictated that he look away from her but he didn't. Instead, he rose to his feet just as the last layer of her kimono was removed, leaving her in little more than her underclothes and breast bindings. She then moved to pick up the Uchiha uniform but he grabbed her wrist to stop her. The limb felt so fragile in his grasp but he knew that just beneath her skin, her pulse was strong. At this moment, her heart was alive and beating. He'd prefer for it to stay that way.

"Hanabi, I have fulfilled my duty in bringing you to your sister." He said as he turned her wrist over, his thumb traced delicate blue veins on pale skin. "You will remain here."

"No."

It was a single word. Simple. One he expected her to say and yet still infuriated him. Not a day went by that she didn't defy him. Itachi looked away from her wrist to her eyes, stubbornness showing through to her core.

"I know that tomorrow you will need someone to watch your back. If you're going to be attacked as a traitor, I want to be there to protect you."

"It is not your place to protect me."

"My place is wherever _I_ decide it to be." Hanabi said firmly, her other hand covering his and removing it gently from her wrist. "I will be your sword and shield. Use me as you wish and I will bring honor to your name."

He knew her words to be true.

Naive.

Arrogant.

Yet, there was no one he'd rather have by his side.

It was selfish to allow her to continue in this way. For her to think that she even stood a chance against the false Emperor's personal forces. Letting out a slow breath through his nose, he brought his hands up to either side of her head and held her in place. His eyes trailed over every feature. The upturn of her nose. The curve of her lips. The defiant way she stared back at him.

"If you follow me, you will die tomorrow."

Despite the heaviness of his words, her resolve never wavered. If anything, she became even more determined. A knowing smile spread over her face as she took a step away from him.

"I won't die." she said confidently and turned to dress in the Uchiha uniform, his clan's crest proudly stitched on her back. "And neither will you."

 _ **To be continued….**_

 _Don't weep, we are all insects!_

 _Lovers, even the stars themselves,_

 _must eventually part._

 ** _(Issa Kobayashi)_**


	48. Chapter 48

**CCNote : Happy Thanksgiving to everyone today! I hope you're getting stuffed with turkey and collard greens! You will also get a taste of this story to make it all go down a bit easier. Please enjoy and know that one of the things I'm grateful for in life is you. Seriously, I continue to write because you continue to read. Thank you!**

 _Don't weep, we are all insects!_

 _Lovers, even the stars themselves,_

 _must eventually part._

 ** _(Issa Kobayashi)_**

 **Infiltration**

 _ **The Twenty-seventh Fall of the Karasu**_

 _ **Imperial City- Uchiha Manor**_

 _ **...**_

It was pitch black outside by the time they were ready to go. Anyone with a modicum of sense was fast asleep in their beds, content that tomorrow would be the same as the day before. Not even the infants could be heard as they made their way through the halls of the Manor. Just they were about to pass the door that housed said children, Itachi felt a small tug to the sleeve of his yukata.

Hanabi held a finger to her lips and nodded her head in the direction of the nursery. Inside they both knew that Hinata had chosen to sleep there for the night instead of the Matriarch's quarters at their insistence. It seemed wrong to allow her to sleep in a room that contained a dead body only moments before.

Slowly, Hanabi slid open the door to the room. Save for a stub of a candle, the room was dark. Two adult-sized lumps were sleeping in the middle of the room with the baskets containing infants between them. Itachi turned his head to give Hanabi the privacy she needed to say goodbye. Though she was confident in her choice to follow him, this was still another goodbye of sorts to her sister. It was also one to her niece she barely knew. When Hanabi closed the door again, a more solemn air was about her.

This could be her last and only goodbye.

"You can stay." Itachi said, his voice barely above a whisper.

He wouldn't fault her for changing her mind. In fact, he would prefer for her to crawl into bed with her sister where it was safe. However, Hanabi smirked up at him, all seriousness vanquished and so too was any doubt.

"Let's go, Commander."

With that, she led the way downstairs where their mission would begin. Ino and Sai were already dressed and waiting for them by the front entryway although they weren't alone. Two more people had joined them but their identities were hidden by the trademark white mask and black eyes of the Shogunate's special forces. One of the figures he knew automatically by his unique crop of white hair and stature. The other figure, however, he wasn't familiar. Warily, Itachi rested his hand on the hilt of his katana.

"Don't worry, Uchiha-san." Ino said lightly with a wave of her hand. "These two will be helping us get into the palace. Besides, we can cover more ground with five people looking instead of just us three. Or should I say six since _she_ is here?"

Itachi frowned. He didn't like that the plan kept changing before it had even begun.

"Hatake, you are supposed to be guarding the Manor while we are away." He said and the masked man shrugged his shoulders.

"There won't be much of a Manor left to protect if you happen to fail tonight. In any case, your little brother has grown on me despite all of his faults."

"What about Hinata and my niece?" Hanabi snapped. "You would leave them here defenseless?"

At this, Kakashi straightened from his relaxed posture.

"If we are successful, we will be back long before Uchiha-sama awakens. If we fail, there is nothing I could do to protect your family."

Hanabi sniffed and Itachi frowned. Neither one of them was satisfied with the man's answers but they knew them to be true. Regarding his masked companion, they simply stayed silent, more than content to allow Kakashi to speak on their behalf. Itachi moved to question them but was stopped by Ino pushing a cloth satchel into his hands.

"We are running out of time here. We were able to steal a bunch of uniforms out of the armory. Which was pretty easy since it isn't guarded with everyone out doing patrols. Figure out your size and change."

The Uchiha didn't like being told what to do by people he barely trusted but time was not on their side. At least this part of the plan wasn't being changed at the last minute. He led Hanabi off to a sitting room to the right of the main entryway and the two of them quickly changed in the limited light. When their weapons of choice were strapped securely to their new disguises, the pair returned to the awaiting group. There they were presented with two white masks that they promptly accepted. Taking up his undeclared position as leader, Sai handed everyone a small scroll- each of which held a miniature map of the palace.

"It's not entirely accurate but you will at least be able to exit on your own if the need arises. Once we reach the palace, we split up into pairs since that is how we typically move in uniform. An Anbu alone and not guarding a prisoner is suspicious so do not split up if you can help it. Ino and I will take the east wing tunnels. You and Hanabi will take the central tunnels while Hatake takes the West. " He instructed. "We have until just before sunrise to get in and out. We will meet back here then and leave when the morning crowd fills in the streets. Try not to die, okay."

At his side, Hanabi let out a muffled snorted and folded the map she was given into grey breastplate of her stolen uniform.

"We weren't planning on it."

Her confidence was infectious, especially now the execution of their plan was in play. The familiar rush of adrenaline before a mission surged in his veins. Nothing more mattered than reaching a successful conclusion. Securing his mask in place, Itachi opened the front door and stepped out into the dark night.

 _'Just hold on a bit longer, little brother.'  
_

 **….**

 _ **The Sixteenth Fall of the Suzume**_

 _ **Imperial Palace**_

 _ **...**_

Their journey to the Imperial palace was not as harrowing as she'd expected it to be. There were several of the masked "Anbu" milling about- more than should have been necessary but one wouldn't have known automatically. You had to know where to look. Being that they wore the uniform, she was hyper-aware of their presence lurking in the shadows because she was trying to keep to that same darkness. Luckily none of them stopped their group or even acknowledged them.

Although getting to the palace was smooth, getting inside proved to be more difficult. Still, as they observed the tall wall that surrounded the compound, Hanabi didn't find the task anymore daunting than jumping into an ocean.

"Up and over right?" she whispered to Itachi, who gave her a stiff nod.

"There should be a ledge for archers between the two walls. Don't stand for long, they will see your mask a mile away."

In the time that it took them to communicate that much, Sai was already halfway up the wall and Ino wasn't far behind. She watched the stealthy pair climb for a moment as best as she could with only a full moon for light. They seemed to scale the wall flawlessly, finding footholds where there were none. Skeptical, Hanabi reached out to the wall and ran her fingers along the surface. It wasn't as even as it appeared from far away. Itachi contemplated the wall just as she did but it took him half the time to formulate a plan. He and Kakashi started their trek up the massive wall, leaving her and their new member behind.

"Men." Hanabi huffed with a shake of her head. "They make everything a race."

The new member said nothing but didn't move forward either. Seeing that she wouldn't have an ally for her observations, Hanabi started climbing. At first, it wasn't so hard. Finding footholds was actually kind of straightforward. Unfortunately, the higher she climbed the more difficult it became to pull up her own body weight. Hand. Foot. Hand. Foot. The longer she climbed the further away the ground became and so too did her chances of surviving a fall. The thought of falling to her death sent a chill down her spine but still, she climbed. Itachi had long since completed the journey up the wall and was over to the other side.

Taking a chance, Hanabi looked to her left to see their new member not too far behind her. They seemed to be struggling a bit, which was surprising given that they were a trained Anbu member. Sai and Ino had climbed as if it were second nature for them. Dwelling too long on that oddity, however, took too much strength, so she focused on climbing the rest of the way up. Once she reached the top she surveyed her surroundings.

The Imperial palace rested on a hill overlooking the capital. It was actually quite beautiful to look down at the city below. Only a few fires were lit this time of night but under the full moon, the sight was enough to take her breath away. Maybe one day she could climb like this again when she wasn't on time constraints on in the process of breaking people out of prison. Sighing, Hanabi turned to begin her descent but a small cry stopped her. She looked back at the Anbu member, expecting them to be sitting on the wall with her but all she saw was a hand barely holding on.

Without a second thought to her own stability, Hanabi grabbed their wrist to keep them from slipping away entirely. Although the Anbu member was small, they were much heavier than she anticipated. She wouldn't be able to pull them up on her strength alone.

"I won't let go of you but you have to lift yourself up." She grunted.

The Anbu was clearly in shock from almost falling, their body frozen with fear.

"It's going to be okay, I promise."

The Anbu tried to get a hold on the ledge but their hand slipped again.

"You can do it. I won't let go."

On the second try, they were able to gain purchase. Their sandaled feet scraped against the rock as they scrambled to get up the wall. Hanabi pulled with all her might until the Anbu was dangling by their waist over the wall. With a bit more effort, they were able to pull themselves over the wall entirely and dropped breathless at Hanabi's feet. The Hyuuga laughed, adrenaline pumping through her veins at full force.

"Hanabi." Itachi hissed from the inner courtyard.

"I'm coming!"

"No time. Get halfway. Jump."

Hanabi rolled her eyes behind her mask and huffed. He didn't have to rush her dammit! Despite her irritation, her muscles worked automatically to pull herself over the top of the opposite wall. As quickly as she could, she descended and when it felt about halfway Itachi's voice called to her once again from the darkness.

"Now."

Without hesitation, she let go.

Falling from such a height was the strangest sensation. Exhilarating and scary and over in less than a second. She roughly fell into Itachi's arms, the moon and stars above her and the ground below. She was safe and at the same time eager to do it all again- this time from an even greater height. The rush was like nothing she'd ever felt before. However, the moment Itachi put her on her feet, she realized that she was shaking. Gathering herself, she looked up at the wall where the Anbu member was still standing. Their white and red mask was like a homing beacon in the night. Why hadn't they started climbing down yet?

She opened her mouth to encourage them to come down but Itachi was already leading her away and Sai and Ino had long since departed. This was where they would split up. She glanced up at the frozen figure one more time, an unreasonable worry nagging at the back of her mind. Hopefully, when this was all over, she would see them again. No. No hopefully. She would see them again. Resolute, Hanabi turned attention back to the mission at hand and followed Itachi without further hesitation into the dark.

 _ **…**_

 _ **The Twenty-first Fall of the Taka**_

 _ **Imperial Palace**_

 _ **...**_

There were many things he was unsure of when it came to Naruto's oh-so-brilliant escape plan. The likelihood of catching the next person to enter the prison cell off guard was slim. Them being able to overpower them was only possible if three or less people showed up. Getting out of the palace after that just seemed like a pipe dream.

But…as he massaged his sore wrist, the Uchiha had to admit that this brief respite and chance of escape was worth the risk. Now that his blindfold was removed, he was able to assess the dimensions of their containment. Now that his blindfold was removed, he could see that the dimly lit space was unlike anything he'd come across during his previous years playing in the Imperial Palace. He couldn't pinpoint where they were in relation to the grounds nor how they would get out. Naruto, on the other hand, wasn't bothered by this fact at all. He was too preoccupied with assessing the damage done to Sakura, which was much worse than the two men had thought. It was clear based on the darker bruising on exposed parts of her body that they had only been privy to a small portion of what she'd been going through.

"I never expected him to go this far." Naruto growled, his anger at Sakura's abysmal state. "I could kill him for this."

As he gingerly twisted her face to the side, a nasty purple bruise caught the light of the candle.

"I'm not really surprised." Sasuke said and her green eyes flickering over in his direction. "Will you be able to make it out of here on your own two feet?"

Sakura nodded as she gently grabbed Naruto's wrists and lowered his hands from her face.

"I'm not surprised either." She whispered.

"Sakura-"

"No one was going to accept me marrying you, Naruto. You saw how everyone from the staff to the court reacted the day you brought me here. You would have thought I was an ogre and to be honest, they aren't wrong."

"You know that's not true!" Naruto replied insistently, grabbing her upper arms and when she flinched, he had to remind himself to be gentle. "Sakura, my parents were surprised but nothing more. They were both just happy to see me happy-"

"And look what happened to them! They threw their support behind me and now…now they're…"

Unable to finish her thoughts, Sakura covered her face with her hands to hide her tears.

"I'm so sorry Naruto."

As her shoulders began to shake, Naruto pulled her into his chest and wrapped his arms around her. It was strange to see him being the one to give comfort at a time when _he_ needed it the most. His own loss of his mother was still fresh in his mind. At that time, he'd locked himself away, physically and mentally. He had been no good to himself, least of all anyone else.

Upon closer inspection of the pair, however, Naruto was not as strong as he portrayed himself. Tears silently rolled down his cheeks as he held Sakura closer. Sasuke looked away from the pair. It was wrong for him to be privy to their grief and the sight of them made his chest ache uncomfortably. Unfortunately, the somberness of the room was interrupted by a jiggle of the lock on the door. The trio froze as they listened for the door to open but it never did. It appeared as though whoever was on the other side had used the wrong key. Using the momentary pause, the trio got back into their previous positions.

Sasuke had to force himself not to curse as he raised his shackled arms above his head. As soon as Sakura was curled up, only a foot from the door, it opened to reveal what they had expected. The masked soldier paused in the doorway for half a second but it was enough time for Sakura to reach out and grab their ankle. With more strength than they had expected her to have, Sakura was able to pull the soldier's leg out from under them. This caused them to fall on their back and all of the air was knocked out of their lungs. Seeing the soldier momentarily incapacitated, Naruto and Sasuke lowered their arms and jumped into action. However, the soldier let out a small squeak the moment they moved and the sound of which stopped Sasuke in his tracks. He'd know that voice anywhere.

"Hinata?" he asked. Surely this wasn't her. He had to be going crazy, which in all honesty wouldn't be a surprise at this point.

Yet he still watched with bated breath as the masked soldier slowly nodded and reached up to remove their mask. Once removed, he felt as if he was about to choke seeing those pale eyes staring up at him.

"Oh! Hinata, I'm so sorry! I didn't –" Sakura started, but Hinata shook her head weakly as she rose to a sitting position.

"It's fine." She said hoarsely. "I'm just glad I found you."

Found them.

 _She_ actually found _them._

Feelings of shock and guilt rolled through him, freezing him in place, but Naruto and Sakura did not suffer from the same ailment. They both enveloped the petite woman in a hug which threatened to put her flat on the floor again. She did her best to accommodate their grateful friends but her eyes never once met his.

"Uchiha-sama." A familiar voice called from behind the corner. "The left hall is empty- oh! Looks like you've found them."

Kakashi melted out of the darkness of the hall and into the dim cell. Once inside, he removed his mask to have a better survey of the occupants within.

"You three don't look so good. Let's go." He said.

Naruto and Sakura didn't need to be told twice and quickly pulled Hinata up to her feet with them. They then left the cell with Kakashi leading the way. Just as Hinata was about to follow them, she paused with her back turned to him.

"How long did you know…about …Itachi?" she asked and though this was not the right time to have this conversation, he owed her an explanation.

An _honest_ explanation.

"A few weeks."

Her back tensed at his response and hers tightened around her mask.

"I…I wish that you had told me." She whispered. "I wish that you _trusted_ me."

"Hinata-"

He wanted to tell her that he did trust her. It was himself and his own selfishness that he didn't trust. He knew that now but his words caught in his throat and silence fell thick between them. Hinata shook her head and put her mask back on. When she turned back to him, her pale eyes were overshadowed by black, bottomless holes.

"Let's go."

…..

 _ **The Twentieth Fall of the Hato**_

 _ **Imperial Palace**_

 _ **...**_

There were many first that Hinata found herself experiencing that night. Her first lie. Her first attempt at a disguise. Just starting out with those made her heart feel as if it would leap out of her chest. At the beginning of their mission, she thought she would be exposed by Hanabi and Itachi. They didn't want her anywhere that even a hint of harm would come to her. If they weren't both by her side, one of them was always hovering nearby. In fact, it took her pretending to retire for the night to get Hanabi to leave her alone.

Kakashi, Ino, and Sai were also staunchly against her joining in on the mission though the latter pair knew they couldn't stop her. For his part, Kakashi was only coming because she insisted on "putting herself in danger" and didn't approve in the slightest. Fortunately, after only a bit of convincing on Sai and Ino's part, Hanabi and Itachi didn't pay her any attention.

It was…interesting to watch her sister from afar and in a light where she wasn't her sister. Hanabi was fearless and loyal to a fault. Despite her skepticism at the new addition, she still looked out for her when they were on the wall. She would have found herself splattered to the ground if it hadn't been for Hanabi's quick thinking. Everything inside of her wanted to hug her sister the minute her feet were on solid ground but Itachi's voice called to her in the darkness. Without a second thought, Hanabi descended into the night and looked back only once. Hinata watched her go, pride and worry swelling in her chest. What would Hanabi's life have been if she'd stayed in the Compound? She certainly wouldn't be putting herself in danger like this.

But then again…she _liked_ this version of her sister.

Getting down the wall on her own was a less treacherous affair. Kakashi didn't ask her to jump and instead waited for her to descend at her own pace. She followed him through the palace like a shadow. Where he stepped, so did she. They passed no one during their exploration and as time crept past Hinata feared that they wouldn't find their captured friends. It was only when two Anbu emerged from behind a tapestry and into their path that Hinata feared they would be caught themselves. She and Kakashi froze with nowhere else to go as the two approached them. They said nothing as they handed over a set of keys and proceeded down the hall. The exchange perplexed Hinata but the only explanation she received from Kakashi was that this was a changing of the guard.

If there were guards, that meant there was something worth protecting. It didn't take long for her to put the pieces together and soon she and Kakashi were running down a long, stony corridor with a renewed vigor in their search. They happened upon the cells that the guards were protecting- most of which were empty save for a lit torch outside of one of the doors. She'd opened it and was shocked by what she'd found inside. Sasuke and Naruto were chained to the wall while Sakura was curled in on herself on the floor. She'd only taken a single step into the room before she was looking up at the stone ceiling. All of her air left her and she was positive stars were dancing in her eyes. It was painful but nothing compared to actually seeing and speaking to Sasuke again.

It was strange. Just that morning she'd awoken in his arms and felt secure. All of her trust was in him. What a difference only a few hours could make. Though she was relieved to see him alive and breathing, her anger and disappointment stymied that reaction. The darker parts of her emotions threatened to spill over and choked out her affections for the man that stood before her. She tried to remain calm and project an indifference she didn't possess but behind her mask, her face ran with hot tears.

At present, she couldn't afford to focus on her own emotions. They had to get out of the palace. Kakashi led the way out of the dungeons with Sakura, Naruto, and Sasuke keeping close behind him and she took up the rear. The hallway was clear when they emerged and the palace just as silent as before. Sasuke pointedly looked back at her as they proceeded down the hall but she ignored him. Anything he had to say to her could be addressed when they were well and truly out of danger.

Determinedly, she blinked back the remnants of her tears and followed the group through the palace. Unfortunately, things did not remain as quiet as she'd hoped. Kakashi paused their group with a wave of his hand. The sound of heavy feet marching reached their ears, closer and closer. Their current position was sure to be discovered at any moment. Kakashi turned on his heel and doubled back the way they came with the group trailing after him. They only backtracked halfway before he took a sharp left turn.

Once more, things were silent save for the loud thrumming of her own heartbeat. They didn't slow down as they raced through the halls and soon the cold air of the night greeted them. Hinata took a deep breath, pausing on the threshold for just a moment.

They had done it.

She watched the group get ahead of her, a strange mix of fear welling up in the pit of her stomach. The hair on the back of her neck stood on end. Something wasn't right. Sasuke turned back to look at her and opened his mouth but no words came out. His eyes widened, unfocused on her but something just behind her. It was then that she felt the cold steel of a blade to her neck and then…nothing.

 _ **To be continued…..**_

 _The night flies!  
My life,  
how much more of it remains?_

 ** _(Masaoka Shiki)_**


	49. Chapter 49

**CCNote:** **Sorry for the delay everyone. I was very unmotivated to continue writing. Not just this story but everything. However, I'm back on the horse and ready to go full steam ahead. I kinda recaptured my love for writing and writing for myself. I feel terrible that I left this story for almost a month and I hope that you'll forgive the delay. I will say two things that reinspired me though! The first was all of the favorites/follows this story has been getting even with the lack of updates. Knowing people were waiting on me really helped. The second was a song called "I Will Go to You Like the First Snow" by Ailee. It's from the soundtrack for a Korean drama called Goblin. Truly a beautiful song and story that relit my creative fire. The final chapter(s)? of this story will be out soon so there won't be a long wait, I promise.  
**

 **So please enjoy and don't forget to leave a review!**

 _The night flies!_

 _My life,_

 _How much more of it remains?_

 ** _(Masaoka Shiki)_**

 **The Beginning of the End**

Rats.

That's all they were.

Vermin that continued to multiply and scattered when a flame was lit. It was of no matter to a man of his status. Even pests served his purposes, well…until they didn't.

Danzo sighed, tightening his grip on the hilt of his dagger. His bait shivered in his arms, atypical behavior for an Anbu. They were trained to accept death as easily as breathing. When Sai had been caught, he'd received his captors without fear and yet this one had not a shred of bravery. Just how lax had his recruits become? Despite this anomaly, it was amusing to watch Sasuke's face morph at his approach. He'd long thought that nothing short of his own death would get through to the brat. Mikoto had certainly nurtured her sense of defiance in the boy. Seeing as how he possessed enough of a sense of mind to cease his escape, perhaps the bait he'd caught was worth more alive than dead.

As the newly self-declared Emperor turned to bark orders, a strange look spread over Sasuke's features. This held even though two of his men had gotten close enough to tackle him to the ground. Behind him, his accomplices also fell. The Prince and his peasant whore. Some silver-haired man he didn't recognize.

Rats all of them.

Danzo curled his upper lip in distaste. He would have to clear out the palace accordingly. There was bound to be others that remained loyal to the deposed Prince and would likely seek revenge. In his arms, his bait whimpered at Sasuke being roughly restrained by his Anbu. His grip tightened.

"Don't worry. You will die by his side shortly, little rat."

They shivered even more at the sound of his voice, piquing his interest even more. Who was this worthless recruit? With his free hand, he pulled the heavy white mask from their face and was met with an unexpected sight. Uchiha Hinata stood in his arms, her pale eyes wide with fear and her teeth digging into her bottom lip to keep from screaming.

' _Pathetic.'_

 _ **…..**_

 _ **The Twenty-first Winter of the Taka**_

 _ **Imperial Courtyard**_

 _ **...**_

Seeing Hinata with a knife to her throat was more terrifying than he could have ever imagined. It made every cell in his body seize. He couldn't even breathe. When Danzo's men restrained him to his knees, he barely felt the sting of the rocks that dug into his skin. The shouting in his ears was barely a dull thrum. It was only when Danzo had turned slightly to bark an order that all of his thoughts came rushing back at once.

The glint of the blade was a stark contrast against her pale skin and he wanted nothing more than to push it away. He wasn't sure where he found the strength from to push off the Anbu attempting to restrain him but somehow he did. One step at a time, he launched himself forward. Although Hinata had been frozen with fear as well, she gripped Danzo's wrist and caught him off guard enough to push him away. Red filled his vision as she was cut but not deep enough to stop her from moving. Blood dripped down her neck as she reached out to him, her arms desperately outstretched.

He was tackled before he could reach her and she…she fell at his feet from a sharp blow to her head.

"Hinata!" he shouted. Her name falling from his lips desperately. "Hinata!"

She didn't move at all, her face buried in the ground.

"Hinata!"

"Silence Uchiha!" Danzo growled as two of his men rushed forward to pick the unconscious woman up. "Try anything again and you will watch her die before you do. Round them all up. Let's go!"

Violently, the Anbu he'd previously shook off restrained his arms behind his back and lifted him to his feet. Their hands gripped tightly to his biceps as if they were prepared for him to escape again at a moment's notice. He wouldn't. There was no point now.

To his left and right Kakashi, Naruto, and Sakura were all dragged and restrained by the Anbu. Escape had been fleeting and ultimately futile. The people closest to him had risked everything to get out and were going to pay dearly for it. Hinata groaned as her handlers dragged her limp body to the end of the line. Her pale eyes struggled to open, clearly disoriented but in too much pain to decipher what had happened.

A fire in the pit of his stomach rolled when her head lolled forward, hair obscuring her from view. He wished for nothing more than to run to her. To kill the men who had hurt her. How dare they lay a hand on what was his. How dare they hurt her. His anger continued to grow with each second that passed. His skin itched and the desire for blood was strong. As the five of them were lifted to their feet, Danzo smiled- his eyes greedily scanning their group.

"I believe you will all be compliant now." He chuckled.

His only response was Naruto spitting blood at his feet.

"Fuck you."

"That mouth you inherited from your mother is going to get you in trouble one day my prince." Danzo frowned. "But I will make you a deal one more time because I am forgiving."

The man then reached out to cup Sakura's bruised face, his upper lip curling with disgust.

"Step down publically and I will let your friends go. I will even allow your ' _wife'_ live."

"Naruto no-"

Sakura's outburst was cut off by a sharp slap that sounded louder than when they were imprisoned. Out of the corner of Sasuke's eye, he was able to see her stumble forward but was quickly restrained by her handlers. Although Naruto was unable to see the strike, the sound of his struggle on the other side of Kakashi was futile at best. Danzo simply rolled his eyes and took a step back.

"You'll have plenty of time to think about your answer on the way. We have a trial to attend."

…

 _ **The Sixteenth Winter of the Suzume**_

 _ **Imperial Palace**_

 _ **...**_

"The sun is rising quickly."

She could already see the horizon shifting to its pale shades through the dusty palace windows. They were rapidly running out of time. Although Itachi didn't need her to point out such an obvious observation. He had eyes of his own. It was her nervousness that kept her trying to fill the oppressive silence.

"Maybe they found him."

Or maybe they didn't. Once more, she didn't need to say that.

"Commander…" she started but he stopped in his tracks, his back tense.

He held up his hand to silence her and faintly, her ears pricked up at the sound of marching. It was far but distinct. There was a gathering happening and fast.

Without a word, Itachi took off in their direction and Hanabi followed hot on his heels. It could be nothing. It had to be nothing. However, no matter how many times she repeated this mantra in her mind the sinking feeling in her stomach refused to dissipate. The marching grew more prominent as they ran through the narrow winding halls of the palace. Once outside, they found themselves facing dozen of masked Anbu all filling out of the courtyard. For a moment, Hanabi felt her heart seize but she had to remind herself that she looked just like the rest of them. They had no cause for suspicion.

Taking a deep breath, she followed Itachi's lead and melted into the marching crowd, his back always within her line of sight. He seemed to care little for his own life but she was there to watch his back. Literally and figuratively.

The other Anbu luckily saw nothing amiss with two stragglers joining them as many pairs peeled off from the shadows to melt into the growing contingency. They marched as one through the royal courtyard and through the imposing gates. Down the hill and through the town. Their group was silent as they marched but their footsteps alerted all who were awake at this hour that something as amiss. People peeked through their windows and doors as they passed, frozen mid-task. Hanabi chanced a glance behind her to find more masked people but even more surprised were regular citizens. This wasn't good. Still she continued to follow the flow of the group into the market square where less than twenty-four hours ago she'd been reunited with her sister.

It felt like a lifetime ago.

Shaking her head, Hanabi came to a halt when the group of Anbu stopped their procession to circle around a hastily makeshift platform in the center of the square. There on the stage were a few Anbu still putting together an eery construction. Heavy ropes were slung over the top of a long wooden beam. When they came down halfway, there was a strange loop at the end of them. If the marching and hastily assemble stage weren't weird enough, the rope certainly was. Warily Hanabi tore her eyes away from the platform and back to Itachi who was already weaving his way out of the crowd.

Mentally she cursed his haste but followed his path anyway. Through the bodies of black and past civilians. The square had filled up quickly and was only going to become more crowded with each minute that passed. Once on the outskirts, they stopped at a house. Hanabi had no time to question Itachi's intentions before he'd knocked on the door. It opened only a crack and then fully to show a frightened old man and woman. They quickly stepped aside to allow them entry into the house, their eyes wide and trained on the white masks they wore. Without a word, Itachi brushed past them and took to their steep, narrow stairs to the floor above.

"Commander." She huffed once the old couple was well out of earshot but he ignored her.

" _Itachi_!"

Still nothing.

Hanabi stood worriedly on the narrow staircase, his back becoming distant as he climbed. What was he doing? Her sister was waiting for her to return and so was her newborn niece. They didn't have time to waste intruding in someone else's home. They _needed_ to get out before all hell broke loose. Hesitantly, Hanabi turned back to where she knew the entrance of the house was. She could faintly hear the old couple arguing amongst themselves about what to do. If one of the elders left the house in a panic, they would be found out for the fake Anbu they were. She _should_ slip out before then. She could make it back to the Uchiha Manor on her own and Itachi…

Itachi would be left behind.

''Dammit Commander.'' Hanabi cursed under her breath.

Ripping off her mask, her feet were already ascending the steps two at a time.

' _Take care of him even when he can't take care of himself.'_

The man had no sense of self-preservation. _She_ couldn't make heads or tails of his motivations half the time. He was a frustrating enigma whose actions had landed her in more precarious situations than she'd ever dreamed of. Yet she climbed the stairs two at a time to reach him without a second thought. No matter what, even if it went against her own self-interest …she would follow him.

It wasn't about being useful anymore.

It wasn't solely about a promise she made.

She cared about him a lot more than she should…

As she approached the door he'd flung open, she knew it was much more. Heart pounding in her ears, she entered the room and prepared herself for what was to come.

…..

 _ **The Twenty Seventh Winter of the Karasu**_

 _ **Imperial City**_

 _ **...**_

Itachi frowned as he surveyed the area from the second-floor window. There were too many people gathered and not enough time to form a solid plan. He needed a distraction…a way to stall this farce of a trial. The Uchiha turned away from the window and let out a slow, calming breath through his nose.

Danzo wanted to put on a performance. An extravagantly gruesome show of his power as the new Emperor. Those who crossed him would be dealt with accordingly and his brother was going to be made an example of. His very existence always went against the man...

 _…..The Shiro was alight with energy as people made preparations for the Shogunate's stay. He hadn't come around for nearly three years. Apparently, the Uchiha had fallen out of his close interest. Not that Itachi minded. The man brought too much chaos to the Shiro. Their staff always struggled to keep up with all of his particular demands. His parents acted oddly as well though he simply chalked that up to the fact that their marriage had been strained for a long time and the Shogunate's presence didn't help things._

 _Now in his eighth summer, he was old enough to notice the cracks in their façade but not to comprehend why. A large part of him didn't want to know. Itachi sighed as he slid open the door to his room, hoping to find respite from the bustling Shiro halls. All thoughts of peace were dashed however by his little brother immediately attacking him the moment the door was open._

 _"Nii-san! Nii-san!" Sasuke whined, albeit muffled by his chest._

 _"Sasuke?" Itachi grunted from the impact. "What's wrong?"_

 _Instead of answering the four-year-old simply held on tighter. Worried, Itachi was able to pry him away and crouch down so that he was at eye level with the smaller Uchiha. His dark eyes were filled with fat tears that threatened to spill over. Sasuke wasn't much of a crier now that he was older. Whatever had happened must have been unsettling._

 _"You have to tell me what happened otoutou. I can't help you if you don't say anything." Itachi said calmly and earned a shaky nod._

 _"That man." He whimpered. "He wants to take me away."_

 _"Man…Danzo-sama?"_

 _"I don't wanna go!"_

 _Itachi frowned, unsure of what to do or say in this situation. Why did the Shogunate wish to take Sasuke away? Unfortunately, he wasn't given much time to figure that out before their mother could be heard in the hall._

 _"Sasuke! Sasuke, where are you?"_

 _At the sound of her voice, Sasuke broke away from him immediately to seek solace in her arms. He bounded out of the room and Itachi followed shortly after. Although his mother was typically a calm and collected woman she appeared anything but at the moment. Her hair mused and kimono out of shape, she looked very little like the regal matriarch she was supposed to be. Sasuke, of course, took no notice of how disheveled she was since he was in her arms, his personal happy place. From what Itachi could see, she was happy with him as well._

 _"Okaa-san." He said, announcing his presence much to her surprise._

 _Her eyes widened slightly upon seeing him and she tried to use her free hand to tuck loose hair behind her ear._

 _"Itachi…you're not training?"_

 _"I finished early." He replied before gesturing to his now dry-eyed brother. "Sasuke seems to think that he's being taken away."_

 _A sad look flashed over his mother's features for a second, just a fleeting moment, before she crouched down to place Sasuke on the ground. He protested the loss but stopped the moment Itachi put a hand on his head. Now was not the time for tantrums._

 _"You're not being taken away." She said and Sasuke's face immediately brightened. "We have all been invited to go to the capital to pay our respects to the royal family."_

 _"We're all going?" he asked excitedly and Mikoto nodded with a small smile._

 _"Yes. We'll leave in a day so go find all of the toys you wish to bring with you."_

 _Of course Sasuke didn't need to be told twice to complete such a task. He was already scampering down the hall before their mother could rise to her feet. Once he was out of sight, his mother's smile vanished._

 _"I wasn't aware we had a trip." Itachi said flatly._

 _His father had an intense training regime for him and there had been no indication that it would be lessened for a trip._

 _"We didn't have one planned. Not originally." His mother with a heavy sigh. "Sasuke walked in on the servants packing his trunks earlier. They must have told him about Danzo's intentions."_

 _"Intentions?"_

 _Was that man really trying to take Sasuke away? Sensing his concern, his mother shook her head._

 _"Don't worry. The plan has changed." She said before throwing a glance over her shoulder to ensure that they were alone. "Itachi…this may be too much for you to understand right now but listen to me carefully."_

 _Solemnly the eight-year-old nodded. Whatever it was she had to say must be important._

 _"Danzo is not to be trusted. Anything and everything he does is to serve his own purposes-"_

 _"Okaa-san?" Itachi asked as she suddenly stiffed and looked over her shoulder._

 _There was no one there but the air felt tense. Oppressive. Without a word, his mother ushered him back into his room and slid the door closed behind them. Confused, Itachi opened his mouth to question her actions but the serious look in her eyes kept him silent._

 _"One day you will be the leader of this clan. You will become a great warrior who will lead men just as others have done before you. When you make decisions, they will affect the lives of everyone long after your father and I are gone but there is one thing I need you to promise me."_

 _Itachi nodded. There was nothing his mother could ask of him that he wouldn't do._

 _"Protect Sasuke." She whispered breathlessly. "No matter what happens. No matter what Danzo or your father tries to do."_

 _"But-"_

 _"Itachi promise me."_

 _He was confused._

 _Why was his mother so afraid? Still, he'd made a promise to himself long ago to always be there for his little brother- as troublesome as he tended to be at times. No matter what, Sasuke would always be safe with him….._

... _'No matter what.'_

He'd broken that promise. In a vain effort to keep his father under control, he'd left Sasuke alone. Exposed to the machinations of the Uchiha elders and the capricious whims of Danzo. He'd left him alone but he was here now. He had to do _something._ The small touch of a hand on his arm jolted the Uchiha from his thoughts and he turned to find Hanabi staring back at him. Concern filled her pale eyes over his absentmindedness but his own were drawn to the full quiver of arrows on her back. Quickly a plan fell into place and as the wheels turned in his head, Hanabi's worry faded away. Her lips quirked up in a knowing smirk, arms crossed over her chest.

"I know that look. You've got a plan."

"Not exactly." He trailed off and she cocked her head slightly to the side.

"Good enough."

Itachi scoffed slightly at her foolhardiness and turned his attention back to the window. Outside, the crowd was growing restless with anticipation. One could only keep a crowd of this side contained for so long. As the anxiety among the people rose, Danzo took his place on the stage before the gallows with an air of self-assured victory. At the sight of the man, Itachi clenched his fist- itching for a chance to wipe the smug look off of his face. Though the spiteful surge was sharp, Itachi suppressed it. He needed his head to be clear if his suspicions were to be correct.

On stage, Danzo was unaware of his murderous intent. Instead, he raised his hand as a signal and five startling figures were restrained and trotted out one by one onto the stage. Kakashi was first, followed by a vaguely familiar pink-haired woman. Then came Sai, who looked utterly bored while he was being marched to his execution. When the rope was placed around his neck, he didn't even blink. After him came Hinata with her head held high but staunchly avoiding looking at the crowd that had been assembled.

"Hinata! How! Why?" Hanabi breathed, panic seeping into her words. "We left her at the Manor! I don't understand-"

"She left when we did." Itachi interrupted and Hanabi whirled on him angrily.

"That was her? You _knew_ and you still let her go with us?!"

"I wouldn't have been able to stop her any more than I could have stopped you."

Although Hinata had been withdrawn during their initial planning, he knew that she'd been listening intently. It wasn't hard to piece together who their new addition was when their footsteps weren't as light as the rest of the group and a naive nervousness poured off of them in waves.

"She almost fell off the wall! She isn't equipped to handle something like this and now look at her!" Hanabi hissed as she turned back to the window. "She can't die. Not now."

"Your sister is more resilient than you give her credit for."

Hinata wasn't going to die today. Not if he could help it. Calmly he placed a hand on Hanabi's shoulder and turned her back to look at him. Outside, the crowd grew silent as a thick rope was lowered around Hinata's neck.

"Give me cover until you're out of arrows." He said and was rewarded with a stiff nod.

"And then?"

"Get to safety."

It was clear the minute the words left his lips that she didn't agree with him. What more could she do though? This was barely a plan. Yet instead of protesting she simply removed her full quiver and bow from her back, turning to get in position in the window. As she knocked her first arrow, he caught a glimpse of the wisp of a girl she'd been in the Spring. She could barely hold a bow straight yet here she was. She was a competent warrior- far from being the best but the only one he'd want watching his back at a time like this. In time she could be unrivaled...

He wanted to be there to see it.

"When this is over, I have something I want to say to you." Hanabi said softly, pulling her string tight.

She let it go by the time he'd reached the door, the screams of confused panic from the people below were enough to tell him that her aim was true.

"So don't do anything reckless or I swear I'll chase you down from this life into your next."

"I'll hold you to that."

The Uchiha didn't believe in reincarnation. The Hyuuga did. A large part of him hoped that the Hyuuga were right...

 _'From this life into the next._ '

…..

 _ **The Twentieth Winter of the Hato**_

 _ **Imperial City**_

 _ **...**_

There were so many people. Anbu. Palace guards. Citizens of Konoha. She didn't look at them but she knew they were there. Watching. Waiting. All of them were there to witness the demise of an empire, whether they knew it or not. Each step she took was harder than the last. The most she could do was hold her head straight and try to pretend that the crowd wasn't there. It wouldn't be right if the last thing she did on this earth was to succumb to her fear. Mikoto had taught her better than that. It was almost morbidly fitting that she would leave the same way her mentor had.

 _'One day, when you're ready, I hope you'll think of me as your okaa-san.'_

If only she'd told her how much she'd meant to her while she'd been alive. If only.

Her breath hitched in her throat when the heavy rope was lowered over her head.

"Loyal citizens of Konoha. I come to you during a time of great mourning." Danzo said, his voice booming over a crowd that had grown silent. "Yesterday, our Emperor and Empress were tragically murdered. The coup was led by the group of vermin you see behind me. It is due to my skill that they were caught before they could turn this country inside out. They will be dealt with according to the law but I would like for our Prince, who is thankfully safe, to say a few words."

Hinata swallowed nervously as the man in question was allowed to walk freely on the stage. At some point before they'd been escorted to the gallows they must have thrown a dark cloak over his body to hide the disdainful state of his clothes. The dirt on his face had also been wiped away, leaving him to appear normal to the crowd. It wouldn't do for Danzo to have him looking abused.

While the Anbu stood still, the few palace guards that were sprinkled within the crowd visibly looked alarmed. Regular citizens twittered excitedly to see their Prince in the flesh and safe from the horrible fate that had befallen his parents. A few started hurling insults at her and the rest of their group in the gallows. How could they conspire against the royal family? They were traitors that deserved to die. Hanging was not a fitting enough end for what they'd done. It was then that Danzo put his arm around Naruto and drew him in a little closer.

"Go on my Prince. Assure the people of their safety from these traitors."

A Traitor.

Is this what she would die as?

The only thing that gave her comfort at this moment was knowing that Hanabi and Itachi had somehow managed to make it out of the palace without being captured. With any luck, they would return to the Manor. There they would find the place empty save for Kurenai and her niece. They would wait and wait and eventually, news would reach them about the execution. Knowing Itachi, they would escape for the Shiro before the city was invaded and, if the gods remained on their side, they would make it.

 _'They will make it.'_

Hinata let out a small, shaky breath through her nose. Them being safe was all she could ask for. Tearing her eyes away from Naruto and the bloodthirsty crowd, she looked to her left to find Sasuke. He stood straight and proud as if he didn't have a noose around his neck. Even when facing his own demise, he still managed to make her heart skip a beat. If there was anything she regretted, it was not telling him that.

Despite her anger…

Despite her frustration…

Despite the fact that she was about to die…

She loved him.

Blinking back tears, Hinata closed her eyes and did her best to not allow her knees to buckle under fear when the rope tightened. She would not leave this life afraid. She took a deep breath-

 _ **Pfft!**_

The sharp sound of something fast whizzing past her head alarmed her, the hot feeling on blood spilling onto her shoulder even moreso. The heavy body of the Anbu guarding her fell in a heap to the side and screams of terror filled the square. As the rope around her neck grew slack, Hinata immediately looked to Sasuke who appeared just as shocked as she was. Their surprise wasn't allowed to settle for long before another arrow was sent whizzing onto the stage.

The black and white wall of Anbu that made up the first few rows of spectators dispersed into the crowd to find the source. Oddly enough many of them didn't make it far before being impaled by the imperial swords of palace guards. Danzo let go of Naruto in favor of taking cover from his Anbu who immediately covered him with their own bodies to be used as shields. He barked orders for his men to follow. To restrain her. To hang them. Yet the second someone tried to touch her, they were shot down shortly after. Two bloody bodies laid at her feet, their faces covered by eery white masks. The sight alone was enough to make her want to faint but she had to stay conscious.

She _had_ to.

"Hinata!" Sasuke shouted, snapping her from her daze.

"Sasuke." She whispered though she was positive he couldn't hear her over the chaotic din that surrounded them.

In the next second, all five nooses were released from the gallows one by one. Their executioners falling dead to their knees. Without wasting a second, she ran to Sasuke before one of the many Anbu climbing on stage could stop her. More were felled by arrows when they tried to. The wooden platform creaked from the added weight of palace guards trying to climb it.

"Danzo!" a deep gravelly voice shouted as they rushed past her. "This ends now!"

Confused, Hinata barely had time to turn around as Fugaku ran, his sword brandished proudly.

' _No!_ ' Hinata thought, her voice caught in her throat.

The former Uchiha patriarch was unwell. He'd barely been able to walk the day steadily before and now he was charging headfirst into battle. This wasn't just any battle though. The moment he'd yelled more, Anbu swiftly circled around Danzo, obscuring him from view and any potential assault. This charge was suicidal. He had to realize that. As her worry mounted at his insurmountable odds, another figure followed his lead. Itachi.

Hinata took a step forward absently but was stopped by a firm grip on her forearm. She couldn't even turn to see who it was before a sharp blade sliced through the rope on her wrist. Once free, she spun to see Sasuke but his tight hold kept her from moving further.

"Sasuke-" she started, surprised by his presence.

When had he gotten free? How did he get a katana?

"Hinata. Go now."

The Uchiha shook her head at his demand. Where? Where was she to go without him? The whole point of the mission had been to get him free and now that he was she couldn't leave him. She wouldn't. Her staunch protest was on the tip of her tongue but Sasuke pressing his lips against hers kept them at bay. His kiss was forceful and desperate and over just as quick as it started.

As soon as he let her go a familiar hand grabbed her other wrist and dragged her away. She tried to struggle against them to get back to Sasuke who was quickly melting into the fray of battle but her captor stayed firm. They tugged so hard that they nearly dislocated her shoulder, but it was enough to get her attention. Met with desperate green eyes that mirrored her own sadness. Hinata stopped struggling. They were of no use here were they? She would only get in the way. An unspoken understanding passed between the two of them before she nodded her head.

It was then that the bells sounded. With the Emperor and Empress already dead, they could only mean one thing.

Konoha was under attack.

 _ **To be continued…..**_

 _War  
stood at the end of the hall  
in the long shadows_

 ** _(Watanabe Hakusen)_**


	50. Chapter 50

**CCNote : The time since my last update has been wild. Working in a more corporate setting leaves me with very little time to write. I have more money but less time doing leisure activities. When I worked in Japan, I had plenty of time between classes and during testing/ holidays to just sit at my desk and churn out chapters. Heck in the summer I binged watched Game of Thrones (a disappointment) in an empty classroom. I greatly misjudged how much time I might have on my hands moving back to the US and I apologize greatly for my absence. The only reason I have time to write now is because we are on work from home mode at the office due to Covid 19 and I'm holed up in my house.**

 **If you wanna see some fun (actually tasty and feasible) cooking snaps, follow me on SnapChat! If you just wanna chat, join the Discord group! In regards to my stories, I will try to finish this one up over the next 2 weeks. For everything else, updates will be rare and sporadic, but they WILL happen. IDK if I will be working from home for longer than 2 weeks but it's highly likely given the bungled response of the US to this current crisis. I made a promise to never abandon my stories and I haven't broken that yet. In the meantime, I hope that everyone reading this is safe and at home with their loved ones. From waaaaaay across the world, know that I appreciate your readership and continued support of this story. I write this story, and all of my other works, for YOU. Now with that being said if your country is starting to take shut down measures, here are the things you should do.**

 **WASH YOUR DAMN HANDS (seriously). Wash for at least 20 seconds with soap. The chorus to Lizzo's 'Truth Hurts' is great to sing in your head while you do this.**

 **Don't hoard toilet paper and cleaning supplies. You only need so much and there will be more.**

 **Stay home as much as possible.**

 **Keep in close contact with the ones you love.**

 **Reread this story or maybe try one of my other completed fics to pass the time!**

 **Anyway, here's a rough unedited snippet of the next chapter so you don't think I've abandoned you completely. This will likely change shape but you have a general idea of the passage. Look forward to another update later in the week!**

….

"Dammit." Hanabi hissed under her breath when her right hand passed through air. "I'm out."

Down below there was nothing but chaos in the crowd. People scrambled desperately to leave the square which caused a stampede effect. If Itachi had wanted a distraction he'd certainly gotten one. Though she did feel guilty for being the catalyst.

Below on the wooden platform she could see her sister, shaken but unharmed. Her last arrow had shot straight through the skull of an Anbu attempting to restrain her. Inwardly she hoped there was enough pandemonium for her to slip away on her own despite being restrained at the wrist. Part of her was tempted to go down and grab her but she knew she'd never make it through the crowd without being trampled. She had to trust that Itachi knew what he was doing. At that moment a dark figured rushed past her sister with their katana brandished to attack the self-proclaimed Emperor. The assailant was bold in their aim as if they'd fought for years. Cutting down men and killing them without remorse. Although impressive the action was foolhardy at best.

Things were going to go sideways.

Tearing herself away from the window, Hanabi took to the steep stairs two at a time. Hinata would have to pass this house to return to the Manor and she needed to be there to intercept her. Once she reached the first floor, the older couple she and Itachi had barged in on were nowhere to be found. Although she suspected they'd snuck out just before the square had descended into chaos.

When she opened the door to the home, the sound of screams and metal clashing were no longer muffled. She ignored the people running in front of her, her eyes trained only for her sister. Pushing past desperate residents trying to avoid the fray was difficult. She was smaller- even smaller than she should be due to the stress of the last few months. Still, she held her ground when men and women aggressively clipped her sides while fleeing. The crushing stampede of bodies heading in her opposite direction kept Hanabi from moving as quickly as she would like but she had to get through. She had to-

"Hanabi!"

"Omphh!"

Within two seconds someone hurtled into her head on and she nearly tumbled to the ground. Somehow she was able to remain standing but only just barely. Shivering and clutching her for dear life was the one person she'd been trying so desperately to find.

' _Hinata.'_

The Hyuuga barely had time to register her sister's safety before her training kicked in and survival was her new goal. Hanabi gently removed herself from Hinata's embrace, favoring instead to hold her hand and an unspoken agreement passed through them.

They were getting out of this together.

"Hinata!" a desperate voice shouted from the crowd.

Hanabi turned to see an unfamiliar, pink-haired woman rushing up to them. Unconsciously, she placed a hand on the dagger on her hip but refrained from doing much more. The woman didn't appear to mean them any harm. In fact, the minute she reached them, she grabbed Hinata's free hand and the three of them took off running.

Overhead the sound of the town's bells alarmed once more. People poured out of their houses and into the streets carrying what little they could on their backs. Hanabi vaguely remembered the way out of the city since she and Itachi had arrived less than twenty-four hours ago. With the way things were headed, they needed to get back to the Manor and escape fast. Squeezing her sister's hand, she spearheaded their trek through the crowd, utilizing her heavy bow to knock into anyone who crossed too close into their path.


	51. Chapter 51

**CCNote: this was going to 1 extra long chapter but I wanted to get it out tonight so it's a bit on the short side. However, it is dense so there's that. I've also never written extensive fight scenes before but here's to trying new things! The next chapter is the last one before the epilogue. Anyway, enjoy and don't forget to leave a review!**

 _War_

 _stood at the end of the hall_

 _in the long shadows_

 ** _(Watanabe Hakusen)_**

 **Bittersweet**

 _ **The Twenty-seventh Winter of the Karasu**_

 _ **Imperial City Square**_

 _ **...**_

It had been a while since he'd experienced true battle. The last time adrenaline had coursed through his veins this fiercely, he'd set an entire squadron of generals on fire. The smoke that coated his throat. The screams of men being cooked alive. _That_ felt like a lifetime ago. Now was not dissimilar. He wouldn't say that he missed fighting. In fact, it was something he detested but it was a means to an end. No matter how many people he had to cut down...it would always be worth it.

"Itachi?"

The sound of his name from his brother's lips was one of disbelief. Here he stood in the flesh, whole and very much not dead like he and Hinata had been led to believe. The elder Uchiha did not have time for his astonishment although he greatly appreciated it. They had been apart for far too long.

Silently, he pressed the hilt of a katana he'd swiped off of a fallen warrior into Sasuke's now freed hands. In a life filled with following in his father's footsteps, choosing his brother at this moment was the best decision he could have made. Even if his decision caused the world to burn…

 _… Itachi knew many things about his father._

 _Things he was grateful to be privy to and secrets he wished he'd never known._

 _He knew which foot his father favored before lunging into an attack, the blind spot on his right flank that he left exposed. There was very little that the man could do the surprise him and yet here he was in the crowded square, trying his best to not be noticed. That was an impossible task because seeing your son with a noose around his neck was enough to stop any parent in their tracks._

 _Instead of panicking about arrows falling from the sky like the rest of Konoha, his father stood silent. Although he'd only spotted him from behind, it was easy to see that the frozen cloaked figure did not belong. Inwardly Itachi cursed. His father was supposed to be at the Manor. He was in no condition to fight and would prove to be more of a hindrance than a help._

 _Pushing past the bodies in the square, Itachi tried to get closer to Fugaku but the man had already started moving again. He knew immediately where he was headed and that knowledge sank into the pit of the Uchiha's stomach. He had a decision to make. Either stop his father from essentially killing himself and declaring war in the name of the clan or-_

 _He glanced over to where Hinata stood in shock as bodies fell dead around her. A few feet away Sasuke strained against his rope and his captors in a foolhardy attempt to get to her._

 _His decision was made without a second of hesitation. He would always protect his little brother…_

 _…._ Itachi rolled his eyes as his brother's first instinct upon being liberated was to immediately go to Hinata. It was strange to see them together. In years past Hinata would have done anything to get as far away from Sasuke as possible. Yet…she'd risked everything to stay by his side. Was their affection inevitable? If he had stayed within the Uchiha District…no, he would have always left. Itachi smirked and moved on to free Naruto and Kakashi from their ropes.

 _'Besides.'_ He thought with a glance at the house where Hanabi remained hidden. _'I would have always had to find you.'_

Clearing his mind of all extraneous thoughts, Itachi focused on slashing through his enemies. Today was not the day he died.

 **….**

 _ **The Seventeenth Winter of the Suzume**_

 _ **Imperial City Square**_

 _ **...**_

"Dammit." Hanabi hissed under her breath when her right hand passed through air. "I'm out."

Down below there was nothing but chaos in the crowd. People scrambled desperately to leave the square which caused a stampede effect. If Itachi had wanted a distraction he'd certainly gotten one. Though she did feel guilty for being the catalyst.

On the wooden platform, she could see her sister, shaken but unharmed. Her last arrow had shot straight through the skull of an Anbu attempting to restrain her. Inwardly she hoped there was enough pandemonium for Hinata to slip away on her own despite being restrained at the wrist. Part of her was tempted to go down and grab her but Hanabi knew she'd never make it through the crowd without being trampled. She had to trust that Itachi knew what he was doing.

As she held her breath and watched, a dark figured rushed past her sister with their katana brandished to attack the self-proclaimed Emperor. The assailant was bold in their aim as if they'd fought for years. Cutting down men and killing them without remorse. Although impressive the action was foolhardy at best.

Things were going to go sideways.

Tearing herself away from the window, Hanabi took to the steep stairs two at a time. Hinata would have to pass this house to return to the Manor and she needed to be there to intercept her. Once she reached the first floor, the older couple she and Itachi had barged in on were nowhere to be found. Although she suspected they'd snuck out just before the square had descended into chaos.

When she opened the door to the home, the sound of screams and metal clashing were no longer muffled. She ignored the people running in front of her, her eyes trained only for her sister. Pushing past desperate residents trying to avoid the fray was difficult. She was smaller- even smaller than she should be due to the stress of the last few months. Still, she held her ground when men and women aggressively clipped her sides while fleeing. The crushing stampede of bodies heading in her opposite direction kept Hanabi from moving as quickly as she would like but she had to get through. She had to-

"Hanabi!"

"Omphh!"

Within two seconds someone hurtled into her head on and she nearly tumbled to the ground. Somehow she was able to remain standing but only just barely. Shivering and clutching her for dear life was the one person she'd been trying so desperately to find.

' _Hinata.'_

The Hyuuga barely had time to register her sister's safety before her training kicked in and survival was her new goal. Hanabi gently removed herself from Hinata's embrace, favoring instead to hold her hand and an unspoken agreement passed through them.

They were getting out of this together.

"Hinata!" a desperate voice shouted from the crowd.

Hanabi turned to see an unfamiliar, pink-haired woman rushing up to them. Unconsciously, she placed a hand on the dagger on her hip but refrained from doing much more. The woman didn't appear to mean them any harm. In fact, the minute she reached them, she grabbed Hinata's free hand and the three of them took off running.

Overhead the sound of the town's bells alarmed once more. People poured out of their houses and into the streets carrying what little they could on their backs. Hanabi vaguely remembered the way out of the city since she and Itachi had arrived less than twenty-four hours ago. With the way things were headed, they needed to get back to the Manor and escape fast.

Squeezing her sister's hand, she spearheaded their trek through the crowd, utilizing her heavy bow to knock into anyone who crossed too close into their path. She had come too far, fought too hard to be bowled over by the panic. In the back of her mind, Hanabi knew that her sister felt the same as well. There was so much left unsaid between them but one thing was for certain.

They had no choice _but_ to make it out together.

 _ **…..**_

 _ **The Twenty-first Winter of the Hato**_

 _ **Imperial City- Uchiha Manor**_

 _ **...**_

The Manor appeared abandoned at first glance. Those who would capitalize on looting the home of the renowned Uchiha clan had yet to sink their claws into the property. This respite would not last for long. It was only a matter of time before the Sand and the Cloud found their way here. A chill ran down the Uchiha Matriarch's spine at the prospect.

"I'll stay out here." Hanabi said as they entered through the front gate.

"What? Why?" Hinata protested but Hanabi was already removing her bow and an empty quiver from her back.

"Someone has to keep a lookout while you two go in there." She explained with a shrug of her shoulders. "I'll shout if I'm outnumbered. It will at least give you a head start."

A protest sat sharply on the tip of her tongue but she held it back. Hanabi had proven that she was more than capable of defending herself. Reluctantly she turned her attention to Sakura who appeared was worse for wear but held a determined look in her green eyes.

"Let's go." She said and the two went into the abandoned Manor.

Inside, the din of the crowds fleeing and the bells tolling were muffled. The hustle and bustle of life that had once filled the Manor had all but vanished. Biting her lower lip, Hinata ascended the stairs to the Matriarch wing where she'd last seen her niece and Kurenai. It was so silent though that with each step she took the less likely she felt that she would find her niece and the woman entrusted with her care. Fortunately, it was just as she was rounding the corner to her wing when Kurenai poked her head out of her rooms. A look of relief passed over the older woman's face, a weary smile playing at her lips.

"You made it back." She said, opening the crack in the door a bit wider revealing the two babies in her possession.

Mirai was a bit older and therefore was safely strapped to her back while the newborn Hyuuga was cradled carefully at her chest. In her hand was a slender dagger that wouldn't do much damage but was sharp enough to defend herself if necessary. Outside of that, she possessed nothing else. All that mattered was keeping their girls safe. Hinata felt her heart swell at the woman's dedication momentarily before closing the distance between them to inspect her niece. The tiny newborn was content and sleeping and utterly unaware of the chaos that surrounded them. Hinata felt her lips upturn in an unconscious smile. Neji would be just as calm as his daughter at a time like this.

"We should get going Uchiha-sama." Kurenai said, an edge of anxiety in her voice.

Hinata pulled away from her niece and nodded. The streets were in a state of chaos now. It would only get worse when invading soldiers marched through them. Quickly, she and Sakura flitted through the Shiro, taking what they thought was light enough to carry and helpful on their journey. Every so often Hinata would look out in the direction of where Hanabi stood guard but no sound of a warning reached her.

When she and Sakura completed their task, they'd collected Kurenai and made their way downstairs. Hanabi was already waiting for them at the Manor gate but she wasn't alone. No, there were four cloaked figures that surrounded her but she didn't look afraid. Nor did she see fit to alarm them that someone had approached the Manor. Swallowing thickly, Hinata moved forward with Sakura and Kurenai. The group tensed at their presence but the tension dissipated the moment on of the figures threw off their hood.

"Sakura!" was all they heard before a bullet of blonde hair launched herself forward.

"Ino!" Sakura sobbed and the two girls held onto each other for dear life. They would've scared the neighbors if everyone wasn't already fleeing for their lives.

With those two having a noisy reunion, the other members of Ino's party saw no need to conceal their identities. Slowly Temari removed her hood and at her side were two unfamiliar men. One whose pale skin was almost translucent and had hair like blood. The other was a brunette who wore intimidating war paint and eyes that refused to move from Hanabi. The way he looked at her was unsettling. Although she couldn't do much, her protective instinct raised and she moved a bit closer to her sister's side.

"Uchiha-sama." Temari said cooly with a small nod of her head. To hear the woman speak to her so distantly made a shiver run down her spine. Still, she would not back down. Temari was an ally, not someone she should be afraid of.

"Temari." She replied. "I see that you got out."

"I did and Ino was kind enough to let me back in…well me and our army."

Upon hearing her name, Ino broke away from Sakura long enough to nod in agreement.

"Sai sent me away when we couldn't find where you guys were being held. He said someone needed to be there to open the gate. Where is he? Is he okay?"

Hinata and Sakura shared a nervous look between them. They had no idea what had become of Sai. Their main priority had been to escape.

"I'm sure he's fine Ino." Sakura said softly but her voice lacked confidence. There had been too much going on. Too much blood.

"In any case, I'm glad to see you're alive." Temari sniffed and gestured to her two male companions. "These are my brothers, Gaara and Kankuro. We are here to collect Fugaku."

At this Hinata remembered that they hadn't seen any sign of the former Commander since they'd arrived at the Manor. In any case, he was in no condition to go anywhere.

"Why?" Hanabi asked bluntly.

"My, you do enjoy speaking out of turn don't you?" the brunette growled. "I wished I'd known you were a girl earlier. I would have gone easier on you. No hard feelings hm?"

"I'm just trying to figure out why you're hell-bent on chasing a feeble old man from one end of the nation to the other."

"He's the one who brought me here." Temari replied simply. "I have to return his _kindness_."

Kindness. The word dripped from Temari's tongue like poison. She was out for blood.

"Temari-" Hinata started but was cut off by the man named Gaara. His voice was low and tired, almost haunting.

"He isn't here." He said. "They look as though they're leaving and there aren't enough supplies between them to sustain three people for long."

Temari blinked for a moment, disappointment clear in her eyes before she squared her shoulders.

"Fine. Let's go." She huffed. "This is where we part Uchiha-sama. The next time we meet it is unlikely to be under the best of circumstances. It would be wise to get as far away from this city as possible"

"You're taking the capital?" Hanabi scoffed, her fingers curling around the dagger at her hip.

"The raid has already begun and we plan on taking so much more than just this shitty city." Kankuro chuckled. "I'd take you as well but my sister holds affection for yours. Just get out now while we are feeling generous."

"Kankuro." Temari hissed but the man only rolled his eyes and walked away. She sighed and threw a short glance at each of the women she'd spent months with. "He's right though. By midnight this city will fall to us and the Cloud, you don't want to be here when it does. Anyone with ties to the Shogunate will have their head on a pike right next to his."

"But-" Hinata started, however, Temari simply shook her head.

"Thank you for everything, Uchiha-sama." She whispered and left with her brothers in tow.

Hinata watched as they descended to the road that led to the Manor, a small battalion waiting for them with three horses whose saddles were empty. The siblings mounted their horses without a parting glance and took off down the street, a small contingency of their men marching dutifully behind them. The Temari that she knew was gone and in her place was a woman who sought vengeance. Unfazed by the woman's departure Hanabi turned to her and rolled her shoulders.

"Let's get out while it's still light. It will be hard to navigate in the dark with two infants." She said.

Although nervous, Sakura and Kurenai readily agreed with her. The eery silence that had fallen over the street was even worse than the screaming. However, Ino took a step away from Sakura and shook her head.

"I won't be joining you." She said with a watery smile.

"Ino-" Sakura whimpered.

"I have to find Sai. If anyone with ties to the Shogunate is going to be hunted down, he has a huge target on his back."

"That includes _you_."

Ino shrugged and wiped her eyes with the back of her hand.

"I know."

"Ino, please. Sai can take care of himself."

"I know."

"Then why?! You're going to get yourself killed."

"Sakura, stop." Hinata whispered.

If the girl went on anymore, Ino's resolve might break. She more than anyone understood why Ino wanted to stay. If she didn't have an entire clan to worry about she might follow her back into the fray. Hell, even with the responsibility of the clan on her back she was tempted to go find her husband. He wouldn't want that though. Putting herself in harm's way more than she already had would worry him and that was the last thing she wanted. He should be focused on fighting-on surviving. Not her.

And that…

 _That_ was the only thing keeping her back. Ino flashed her a grateful smile as she finished wiping away the last of her tears.

"Come on. I know the fastest way out of the city from here but it's underground." She sniffed and Sakura crossed her arms over her chest.

"Underground?"

"Yea. How else do you think Danzo knew about everything going on in the capital?" she said. "He has spies right under our feet."

….

 _ **The Twenty-second Winter of the Taka**_

 _ **Imperial City Square**_

 _ **...**_

As a boy, he'd always been envious of his brother for his skill with a blade. He watched Itachi practice with other clan members from afar whenever he got the chance and challenged him when he got older. He was never able to catch up though. Seeing him now, slicing through their masked enemies, Sasuke realized that any slight victory he'd had against Itachi was because he _allowed it_. Still, he found himself more skilled than those who tried to attack him. With his wrists now free and a blade in his hand, he was a force to be reckoned with in his own right.

Sidestepping an Anbu that charged for him, Sasuke took the opportunity to aim for the sliver of pale skin that was exposed at his neck. White skin turned red and the man fell to a heap at his feet. Overhead the bells continued to toll and more and more soldiers flooded the square, looking for the invaders. Sasuke noted their hesitance to engage with the fray already occurring. The palace soldiers fighting against the Shogunate's special forces was not something one saw every day.

Dodging another attack, Sasuke looked out for Naruto who had likely been freed by Itachi on his way to stop their father from a suicide mission. The blonde was holding his own well with his palace guards at his side, preventing his recapture by the Anbu. Not too far away, Kakashi was a sight to behold. The usually lazy man was surprisingly nimble. The men that crossed his path didn't realize that they'd met the end of his blade until it was too late. Shaking his head, Sasuke reminded himself to never underestimate him.

The youngest Uchiha moved through the melee towards where his brother had taken off to stop their father. It was a futile attempt at best since he couldn't get too close to the shogunate or his would-be assassin. The Anbu had surrounded Itachi, sensing that if Fugaku couldn't kill Danzo his son surely would. Although they seemed to be solely focused on Itachi and Fugaku. None of the Anbu cared that Fugaku's second son waited in the wings, slipping past men faster than they could blink.

"You have always been a thorn in my side Fugaku." Danzo hissed as he dodged yet another attack from the man in question. "Why couldn't you have stayed dead?"

"I'll be more than happy to die but you go first." The Uchiha spat.

The two men parried blows before backing off once again. Although his father was still standing it was only just so. The Anbu that surrounding him and Danzo were allowing the Shogunate to toy with him and his pride. There was no greater wound to an Uchiha than their pride. His father looked pathetic going after the Shogunate the way he was. Once a great warrior brought down by his own greed.

This entire thing was _his_ fault but now was not the time for blame. If he wanted his father to understand even a fraction of the pain his ambitions had wrought the man had to live to see another day. Stealthily, Sasuke moved just behind the wall of Anbu protecting the Shogunate. The pair just at the man's back were too busy facing the fight with Fugaku to pay him any mind. The opening was small and he was likely to be unsuccessful, but he had the element of surprise on his side. Launching himself forward, Sasuke ran his katana into the lower back of an unsuspect Anbu, dodged his alarmed partner, and removed his blade in one fell swoop.

"Sasuke?" Fugaku wheezed, surprised that the boy had inserted himself into the fight. "What the hell are you doing?!"

Quickly the Anbu around them started to mobilize in retaliation but Danzo held up a hand to stop them.

"He's come to defend your honor Fugaku… isn't that sweet?"

"Sasuke stay out of this!"

Of course, he ignored the man and instead slipped deeper into his stance. He was ready to strike the minute Danzo let his guard down. This caused Danzo to do the same, a glint of amusement in his eyes. The Uchiha swallowed thickly. Violent, burning hatred coursed through his veins for this man. Every breath he took made him angrier. His very existence was a reminder of the upheaval he'd wrought on the Uchiha clan...the pain he'd caused his mother.

"Sasuke! Stand down!"

"I see he doesn't listen to you as a filial son should Fugaku. He never has." Danzo said, his smirk broadening into a smile. "It's probably because he was never yours to begin with."

 _ **To be continued...**_

 _The abandoned willow shines_

 _between bright rains_

 ** _(Yosa Buson)_**


End file.
